Trying to recapture some of that old "Casablanca" allure, Humphrey Bogart stars in this 1951 release. There are some familiar elements for fans of that older classic. The movie's story set in the Middle East. The backdrop of war providing the necessary danger. A dryly-cynical American expatriate. A working relationship with a military official. A beautiful love interest who belongs to another man. But, in this picture, something is missing.
I don't know if it's "Casablanca's" heart that's missing in this movie, or the sly bits of humor that lighten the mood. Maybe it's a conflict between the French army and Syrian insurgents, instead of World War II. Whatever it is, it's not in this picture. I watched this movie, and it's well-crafted, but I struggled to care about the characters.
Bogart is rock-solid and professional as always. He had the requisite world-weary demeanor within his well-tailored suits. I've always loved how he didn't need a lot of ham-handed histrionics to get his roles across. The subtlety he uses in this role is effective.
The cast included luminaries like Lee J. Cobb, Everett Sloane ("Citizen Kane" and "The Lady from Shanghai") and Zero Mostel ("A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum"). The leading lady was the Swedish beauty Marta Toren, who was destined for bigger things on the silver screen. Sadly, she passed away at the age of 30 in 1957.
These are all pros, working at a high level. The movie is good to look at, but I never connected with any of the characters. Maybe I just didn't get it.
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