Review of Malaga

Malaga (1954)
6/10
About what I expected...though a tad better.
9 May 2024
"Malaga" is a film with a very poor overall score of 4.9. I don't think it's a great film but I think it's a tad better than that.

The film is set in Morocco and is one of those tough as nails roles for Maureen O'Hara. I think generally these roles aren't very good...with Maureen being too tough yet too quick to succumb to a handsome man by the end. The worst of these were the pirate and harem films...where she just seemed completely out of place. But the studios loved putting her in such fluff and apparently she enjoy making them...and cashing the studio checks.

The prevalence and deadliness of the smuggling business in Tangier is alarming various agencies of various nations with interests there. However, each time they send in an agent to investigate, they end up assuming room temperature very quickly. So they decide to bring in a female James Bond-type sexy lady to infiltrate and apparently Joanna (O'Hara) is this sort of lady. She's hot, she's tough and she's a former OSS agent (the precursor to the CIA). And, when she arrives, she's about as subtle as a nudist at a Baptist barbecue! Soon her sexy ways draw the attention of several slavering men and it's always questionable who works on whose side. Will our pretty and very well-coiffed lady manage to bring down this criminal syndicate?

The film has the phrase 'time-passer' written all over it. It's enjoyable and with plenty of action...even if O'Hara, once again, is miscast. Instead of coming off as deadly, she comes off as a bit silly. But the rest of the film isn't bad and you could easily do worse. Plus the film has some lovely locations and moves at a brisk pace.
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