Tropic Zone * (1953, Ronald Reagan, Rhonda Fleming, Noah Beery Jr, Estelita Rodriguez, Grant Withers, John Wengraf) – Classic Movie Review 10,548

Rhonda Fleming is reunited with Ronald Reagan for Tropic Zone (1953) at Pine-Thomas Productions for release by Paramount.

Writer-director Lewis R Foster’s 1953 Tropic Zone is a weak, forgettable adventure with simian-jawed, expatriate freedom-fighter hero Dan McCloud (Ronald Reagan) battling to rescue beautiful Flanders White (Rhonda Fleming) from the hands of villains, along with her valuable central America banana farm, where he has been promoted to foreman. McCloud has been hired by a crooked exporter to disrupt the banana plantation, but of course falls in love with Flanders White.

Thankfully they don’t write too many plots like this any more. There is an even more wooden performance than usual from big Ron Reagan, and both script and direction are very tepid indeed, though the odd burst of action just about saves it.

Also in the cast are Noah Beery Jr as Tapachula Sam, Cuban-born spitfire Estelita Rodriguez as Elena Estebar, Grant Withers, John Wengraf, Argentina Brunetti, Rico Alaniz, Maurice Jara and Pilar Del Rey.

Thankfully also, Lionel Lindon shoots in Technicolor.

It was written for the screen by Lewis R Foster, based on the 1939 novel by Tom Gill called Gentlemen of the Jungle about a banana plantation in British Honduras.

It was released by Paramount Pictures on 14 January 1953.

Reagan dissed the film as a ‘sand and banana picture with a hopeless script’.

It was shot at Paramount Studios, 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, where the studio built their biggest new set in ten years. It was designed by art director A Earl Hedrick and studio supervisor Hal Pereira, and covered four sound stages, including a complete Caribbean native village with 16 buildings, irrigation ditches, five hilltops, a schoolhouse, two roads, two streams and a powerhouse.

Edith Head designed the costumes, including Fleming’s 14 outfits, all supposedly in ‘jungle tones’

Estelita Rodriguez was married to Grant Withers (31 January 1953 – 9 November 1955) (divorced). She was borrowed from Republic Studios, whose boss Herbert J Yates had signed her up and kept a close eye on her. Rumours of an alleged long-standing affair followed.

It was the last of a four-picture deal Rhoda Fleming had with Pine-Thomas following The Last Outpost, Crosswinds and Hong Kong.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,548

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