Soldier of Fortune *** (1955, Clark Gable, Susan Hayward, Michael Rennie, Gene Barry) – Classic Movie Review 5493

Director Edward Dmytryk’s glossy and escapist 1955 adventure film Soldier of Fortune is a solidly carpentered, old-fashioned escapade of Americans involved in intrigue out East. Ernest K Gann adapts his own novel.

Director Dmytryk makes atmospheric use of his Hong Kong locations in this very decent adventure story of smuggling shady shipping magnate Hank Lee (Clark Gable) engaged by Mrs Jane Hoyt’s (Susan Hayward) to find her American journalist photographer husband Louis (Gene Barry), who has disappeared in China.

All the acting is good, with Gable and Hayward bringing power and allure to their roles, and even Michael Rennie scores strongly as the head cop, Inspector Merryweather.

Even if we have seen similar kinds of stories too often before, these big stars (though slightly past their prime) and the plush production filmed on the eye-catching exotic locations of Hong Kong and Tobago make the journey palatable and diverting.

Also in the cast are Alexander D’Arcy, Tom Tully, Anna Sten, Russell Collins, Leo Gordon, Richard Loo, Soo Yung, Frank Tang, Jack Kruschen, Mel Welles, Jack Raine, George Wallace, Alex Finlayson, Robert Quarry, Charles Davis, Victor Sen Yung, Robert Burton, Barry Bernard, Harry Carter, Barry Bernard, John Daheim, John Eldredge, James Hong (in his film debut), Mike Lally, Virginia Lee and Hank Mann.

Soldier of Fortune runs 96 minutes, is made by 20th Century Fox, is written by Ernest K Gann who adapts his own novel, is shot in colour and widescreen by Leo F Tover, is produced by Buddy Adler, is scored by Hugo Friedhofer, and is set designed by Lyle R Wheeler and Jack Martin Smith.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5493

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Clark Gable and Susan Hayward in Soldier of Fortune.