INTRIGUE
US, 1947, 85 minutes, Black and white.
George Raft, June Havoc, Helena Carter, Tom Tully.
Directed by Edwin L. Marin.
Intrigue is a small-budget film, a star vehicle for George Raft at the end of his career as a star. He plays a pilot under a cloud from a government investigation who becomes involved in the black market in Shanghai during and after World War II. June Havoc (Baby June in Gypsy, sister of Gypsy Rose Lee) plays the Russian head of the black market organisation. Helena Carter is the heroine, Tom Tully the journalist.
The film is a routine thriller, Raft is rather granite-jawed. The main interest is in the retrospect of Shanghai at the end of World War II, location scenes giving some kind of background of its prosperity as well as the needs because of hunger and black market exploitation.
1. Interesting thriller? Of its period? The touch of the film noir? The title and its connotations?
2. Black and white photography, the scenes of Shanghai, 1947, the post-war period? The musical score, the song?
3. George Raft as star, his background in gangster films, his screen persona?
4. The situation with the black market during the war, Russians and Americans? The allied soldiers and their involvement, the court martial, guilt? Innocence and guilt? Post-war and the black market, the planes coming in, the local spies, the local gangsters?
5. Brad, his war reputation, his anger at the court martial verdict, his colleague committing suicide? The Chinese links? His flying the plane, the landing, his wanting more money? The discussions at the hotel, his friend with the rickshaw, getting the contents of the plane, spreading money around? His demands on the boss, becoming a partner? His interactions with the Chinese, the gangsters? His friendship with Mark, Mark and his investigations, their discussions? The expose and his confessing the truth? Mark and the risks, his death? Getting the material to the newspaper? The friendship with the young woman, her brother, dates, going to the school, being genial with the children? Telling the fairy story and her listening? The build-up to the climax, the death of Mark, the fight with the criminals, getting the boss to write down her confession? Her being shot? His being released - the happy ending?
6. The boss, her Russian background, glamorous, in charge of the black market during the war, her partners, taking Brad on? Interrogations, the discussions with Mark, the threats? The confession, her death? Her henchmen?
7. Mark, journalist, tracking down the truth, publishing the articles, his copy being stolen from the paper, his being attacked, his death? Brad giving the information to the paper?
8. The young woman seeking her brother, searching in the bars, her charity work, attracted to Brad, believing him, the happy ending?
9. A glimpse of pre-communist China, post-war China, the meeting of East and West?
