LISBON

US, 1956, 90 minutes, Colour.
Ray Milland, Claude Rains, Maureen O'Hara, Yvonne Furneaux, Francis Lederer, Percy Marmont, Edward Chapman.
Directed by Ray Milland.

Lisbon is a colourful adventure - with slight tongue in cheek. It was directed by Ray Milland for Republic Studios, not the most prestigious studios in Hollywood. Milland had already directed The Thief and A Man Alone and was also to direct Panic in Year Zero and Hostile Witness. A suave actor over many decades, Milland seems to be having time off. Maureen O'Hara is an attractive and fiery heroine. The film is stolen by Claude Rains as yet another suave villain. The film has a strong English supporting cast. It boasts of the fact that it was filmed entirely in Portugal and there is a lot of attractive colour photography. The film is routine adventure material in its screenplay - and the old man rescued is Percy Marmont, a hero from many of Alfred Hitchcock's early English films.

1. An entertaining adventure story? Conventional material? Its perennial appeal?

2. International espionage? American Intelligence agencies? International wealthy criminals? International smugglers? The wealthy life in such places as Lisbon? How well did the film use its conventions: the establishment of character, double cross, greed, betrayal?

3. The colour photography and use of Lisbon? The song and its lyrics?

4. The plausibility of the plot: the wealthy criminals such as Aristides living in Lisbon and organising rescues? Stealing? Sylvia and her search for her husband? Evans and his war record and his smuggling? Maria and her work as secretary to Aristides? The police, Aristides' servants etc.? An odd group of characters for an adventure?

5. Captain Evans as hero: Ray Milland enjoying himself? His background of the war, change to smuggling? His involvement with Aristides and accepting the job? The fascination with Sylvia, the suggestion of betrayal and his disgust with her? The friendship with Maria? a happy ending with her? The rescue of Lloyd? A conventional hero for this kind of adventure?

6. Maureen O'Hara as heroine? Her search for her husband and her motives, her distrust of American officialdom, her reliance on Aristides? His tempting her to betray her husband? Her falling for this? Her attraction towards Evans? Her reaction to her husband's rescue and her being left with him? The moral of this character sketch ? appearances and the possibility of corruption? The contrast with Maria? her working for Aristides, attraction towards Evans, the vindictiveness of Edgar and the destruction of her dresses, her flirting and yet her being with Evans at the end?

7. The gallery of minor characters, especially Serafin? His working for Aristides, shadowing Evans, his jealousy of Maria, his wanting to kill Lloyd on the boat, the fight with Evans and his death? The other servants in the house - especially the women, Edgar and his jealousy?

8. The portrait of the police and their investigations?

9. Aristides as arch villain? Claude Rains and his smooth style? His contacts with the police and entertaining them to dinner, his contact with smugglers, his international thieving? His taking on the job for Sylvia? His persuading her to kill her husband? His being outwitted by Evans? His final arrest?

10. A combination of intrigue and adventure? How well done within the conventions and genres of the '50s?