Affair in Trinidad
A nightclub singer enlists her brother-in-law to track down her husband's killer.
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- Cast:
- Rita Hayworth , Glenn Ford , Alexander Scourby , Valerie Bettis , Torin Thatcher , Howard Wendell , Karl Stepanek
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I love this movie so much
the audience applauded
So much average
A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.
And, the question is - Who killed "nice guy" Neal Emery, and why?... Well - As the story goes in "Affair In Trinidad" - The answer to Neal's untimely murder is a seriously complicated matter (as you'll soon find out).IMO - This 1952 "Rita Hayworth" come-back film was certainly better than I had thought it would be. But, it was certainly not "Film Noir" as it has been erroneously categorized.Back in 1952 the movie-going public literally flocked in droves to see this b&w crime/drama (which was shot entirely on sets in the USA at Columbia Studios).You see - Glamour girl, Rita Hayworth had been away from starring in pictures for 4 years. During that time of absence she had been married to Prince Aly Khan.To say that their royal, fairy-tale marriage was a messy affair would truly be an understatement - As it ended in accusations (by Hayworth) of cruelty and abuse. (Oh-me! Oh-my!)"Affair In Trinidad" was produced on a $1 million budget. It made back 7 times that amount in its first year of release.
Although the 80-minute TV version leaves a few holes in the script and omits a couple of minor characters (I didn't notice any refugees), it is a considerable improvement on the original – and this will please just about everybody except Mr. Ford's most rabid fans. Mr. Ford makes a late entrance and disappears from the film altogether during most of the climax, but his absence is not missed all that much. He is less indulgently photographed than Rita Hayworth and his mannerisms seem even more theatrical than usual.On the other hand, Miss Hayworth is very kindly treated by Joseph Walker's soft-focus lighting and is stunningly gowned. She also has the lion's share of the action and acquits herself so effectively in the dramatic sections that the climactic sequences will have most viewers on the edges of their seats. Vincent Sherman's direction shows his customary skill in the handling of action and his usual efficiency in dialogue scenes. Joseph Walker's atmospheric photography is also a big help in creating suspense.Alexander Scourby is delightfully sinister as Max Fabian. Surprising to see dance choreographer Valerie Bettis as one of his confederates (she has the inside gag line, "Maybe I ought to learn to dance!" which was no doubt penned on the set) and essaying a scene in which she is slightly whiffed most effectively too! Torin Thatcher plays a police inspector with his usual air of forthright efficiency, whilst Howard Wendell does rather better as the American consul here than he does as the police commissioner in "The Big Heat". Steven Geray tries a part right off his usual track and is most effective as a corrupt night club proprietor. The other roles are comparatively small, but are well cast and played.Production values leave nothing to be desired — with the exception of the songs which are pedestrian and the dances which contrive to be both distasteful and unexciting.
In 1946, Columbia Pictures had a huge hit on its hands with "Gilda". Now, six years later, the studio has reunited its stars, Glenn Ford and Rita Hayworth, for a similar sort of film. However, despite the similarities of the plot, this one just doesn't measure up and is a mostly tepid film that could have used a much better script.The film begins with the death of Rita's husband. Oddly, she never seemed all too broken up because of this and when the police ask her to 'dig around', she agrees to hang out with an unsavory friend who probably was responsible for the man's death (which was incorrectly ruled a suicide). Now think about it...the police asking her to walk into a dangerous place AND involve herself in an illegal search! However, the dead husband's brother (Ford) blunders in and mostly spends his time overacting--either screaming at Rita and blaming her for the death OR begging her pardon and apologizing for the outburst--followed by making out with her! Frankly, none of this made a lot of sense. And so, by the time the film was over, I was annoyed--annoyed because the romance made no sense at all (what was the motivation AND didn't Rita's husband just die!?). In addition, the whole thing came off as a bit talky and dull. A disappointment, that's for sure.
Glenn Ford and Rita Hayworth pretty much epitomized classic Hollywood glamour, and "Affair in Trinidad" shows the chiseled pair reunited after the success of "Gilda." By most measures, "Trinidad" is a solid, big budget topliner, but the film's hurried ending and blunted racial archetyping dock it some points. Nonetheless, the performances are good ones, and the picture's murder mystery, at least until the stumbling climax, is consistently interesting and believable. Rita Hayworth is older here, but still stunning, and Glenn Ford is solid in the lead, providing plenty of romantic sensibility, as well as good ol' tough guy moments. The story involves Ford traveling to Trinidad after receiving a letter from his brother, only to find him dead and presumably murdered. What follows is a story of international intrigue, with Ford working to unravel the reasons for his brother's murder, as well as the identity of his killer(s). Meanwhile, his brother's widow (Hayworth) may hold the key to exposing the killer(s), but her cooperation with the British counsel prevents her from telling Ford important secrets. Predictably, there is a love story subplot, with Ford and a nefarious businessman vying for Hayworth's hand, and some of the exchanges are terrific. Again, however, the climax is hurried and disquieting, ending the picture on an unbalanced and underwhelming note, but not so much as to spoil the experience. There are a lot of good moments in this one, and fans of 40's Hollywood should be pleased. ---|--- Was this review helpful?