Blood Alley *** (1955, John Wayne, Lauren Bacall, Paul Fix, Mike Mazurki, Anita Ekberg, Paul Fix) – Classic Movie Review 7803

Director William Wellman’s interesting but uncomfortable 1955 adventure movie Blood Alley stars John Wayne and Lauren Bacall as Merchant marine captain Tom Wider (Wayne) and doctor’s daughter Cathy Grainger (Bacall).

They help a bunch of Chinese refugees to escape by river to Hong Kong, fighting off Communist hordes in Wellman’s authentic-looking, but run-of-the-mill action adventure. Attractions include burlap-clad Anita Ekberg as a Chinese refugee called Wei Ling, archetypal heavy Mike Mazurki as Big Han and mild-mannered Paul Fix as Mr Tso. Ekberg won the 1956 Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer – Female.

Humphrey Bogart was originally set to star opposite his wife Bacall, but wisely dropped out. It is odd to find the liberal Bacall co-starring with the right-wing Wayne in 1955. He strongly supported the anti-Communist un-American Activities Committee, indeed was partly responsible for its inception, whereas Bacall and Bogart marched against the UAAC.

Albert Sidney Fleischman’s screenplay is based on Fleischman’s novel.

Also in the cast are Berry Kroeger [Kröger], George Chan, W T Chang and Henry Nakamura.

It was costly and slightly struggling to get its money back, grossing $2,200,000 in the US.

It is on DVD in a war movie double feature with Wayne’s The Sea Chase [Region 1] [US Import].

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7803

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