Macao (1952) User Reviews

Jane Russell gets rare good role in utterly shallow but playful and stylish adventure

[bmacv · 8/10 · 5 August 2002]

Josef von Sternberg began Macao (and copped the directorial credit), but Nicholas Ray finished it. Nonetheless, it abounds with Sternberg's branded flounces and fetishes. As in Shanghai Express and The Shanghai Gesture, he trowels on the Orientalism in thick impasto (Sternberg could have made the best Charlie Chan movie of them all).

A nighttime chase through the Macao docks opens the movie (to be rhymed near its conclusion): A white-suited European is pursued by knife-throwing Chinese thugs; he falls in the water when one blade finds its mark. A badge filched from him pocket shows him to be a police detective.

Into this world of Asian intrigue sails a boat from Hong Kong, just 35 miles up the coast. On it is the motley crew of salesman William Bendix, drifter Robert Mitchum and mysterious woman Jane Russell, who lifts Mitchum's wallet. Sans passport, Mitchum comes to the attention of the Macao police chief (Thomas Gomez), who reports the suspicious stranger to gambling kingpin Brad Dexter. Dexter assumes Mitchum is a cop he knows to be on his way to extradite him back to Hong Kong....

It's a playfully plotted adventure story. Russell gets a gig singing at Dexter's club in eye-popping gowns which actually aren't any more provocative than the black-and-white daytime outfits she traipses around in, wielding a parasol. She fares better than Gloria Grahame, as Dexter's moll, looking washed out and largely wasted (though she puts her distinctive spin on a couple of lines). Mitchum by this time has done this role – the lippy but laconic reluctant hero – so often he could do it in his sleep, which, given his hooded eyes, may be the truth of the matter.

Macao is an utterly shallow film done with energy and style. The plotting remains perfunctory, but the play of shadows throughout remains transfixing – especially in the set-piece near the end, again on the dark waterfront, with ropes and nets casting their creepy spell. And the movie provides Russell with one of her few opportunities to flaunt her real, if narrow, talents: in addition to the statuesque figure that caught Howard Hughes' eye, she had spunk and sass. That's what Sternberg saw, and he fell for it. We do, too.

Mitchum and Russell doing what they do best

[blanche-2 · 7/10 · 26 November 2009]

These RKO noirs sometimes don't make a lot of sense; "Macao" gets a little murky plot-wise, but otherwise, it's an entertaining film with an excellent cast. And as an added bonus, it has Josef von Sternberg at the helm until he was kicked off the movie, and then it has Nicholas Ray. Not bad.

Robert Mitchum, sexy and wide-shouldered in one of those loose-fitting tropical suits, plays Nick Cochran, going to Macao to start over after leaving the U.S. and spending time in the service. He originally thought he committed murder, but even though he hadn't, he kept going. On the boat en route to Macao, he meets beautiful, sexy, non-nonsense Julie Benson (Jane Russell) and a salesman (William Bendix).

When they arrive, Mitchum is taken for a police detective out to get a criminal/casino owner Halloran (Brad Dexter) back to the states. The chief of police (Thomas Gomez) is in cahoots with Halloran. Plus, Halloran becomes interested in Julie, so he really wants to get rid of Cochran. Criminals in Macao avoid the "three mile limit" - because three miles outside of Macao, international jurisdiction rules.

Apparently Mitchum did some rewrites on this script because it didn't make much sense. The cast and crew, all of whom had worked together many times, were a little too friendly for von Sternberg, which caused Mitchum to push all of his buttons. I'm not sure if Ray dragged Gloria Grahame with him or what, but she's wasted here, and she had no interest in this role. Can't blame her.

Despite all of this, Mitchum and Russell are great together, a wonderful, sexy combination. Both stars just ooze sex appeal, and Mitchum's laid-back performance is a great juxtaposition to Russell's character - it's pointed out that she has a big chip on her shoulder. Russell looks fabulous in the costumes, an added bonus.

Pretty music, excellent noir photography, and a good pace help make "Macao" good entertainment. For me it can't touch "Out of the Past" or "The Big Steal," but you can't beat Mitchum and Russell heating up the screen.

Entertaining Adventure

[claudio_carvalho · 6/10 · 4 December 2014]

Macao is a paradise to outlaws since there is no extradition from this country. The former soldier Nick Cochran (Robert Mitchum) that had a problem with the New York police; the cynical and experienced singer Julie Benson (Jane Russell) and the salesman Lawrence C. Trumble (William Bendix) travel by ship and arrive at the port of Macao. Julie pickpockets Nick 's wallet and he loses his money and documents.

On the arrival, the corrupt Police Lieutenant Sebastian (Thomas Gomez) has the information that an undercover detective from New York is on board of the vessel and he believes that he is Nick Cochran. He discloses the information to the crime lord Vincent Halloran (Brad Dexter) that owns a casino and Halloran believes that Nick has the intention of taking him into international waters so that he can be arrested. Halloran hires Julie and tries to bribe Nick to leave Macao, but Nick and Julie feel attracted to each other and Nick has no intention to travel to Hong-Kong. When Trumble offers a deal to Nick with a diamond necklace, Nick shows a diamond from the necklace to Halloran and he concludes that Nick is really an undercover cop and sends his henchman to capture him. Who might be Trumble?

"Macao" is an entertaining adventure with a non-original story. The screenplay is weak, with a rushed conclusion, and the characters are poorly developed. The greatest attractions are the always great Robert Mitchum and the sultry Jane Russell that makes it worthwhile watching. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Macao"

Humour, Intrigue & Treachery

[seymourblack-1 · 7/10 · 7 August 2015]

In the chaos that followed the end of World War 11, places that fell outside the jurisdiction of international law became havens for all sorts of mysterious travellers such as, fugitives from justice, displaced persons and of course, the types of criminals who could best exploit these locations for their own purposes. The Portuguese colony of Macao, which lay to the south of Hong Kong, was one of these places and provides the setting for this movie in which adventure, romance and mistaken identities feature strongly.

After recently having been involved in the murder of an undercover cop from New York City, local crime boss Vincent Halloran (Brad Dexter) expects another undercover officer to arrive in Macao to carry on where his predecessor left off. When a steamer from Hong Kong arrives at the port, corrupt police Lieutenant Sebastian (Thomas Gomez), who's on Halloran's payroll, watches with interest while three Americans have their entry documents checked. The three people in question are, Nick Cochran (Robert Mitchum), an ex-serviceman with no passport, out-of-work nightclub singer Julie Benson (Jane Russell) and travelling salesman, Lawrence C Trumble (William Bendix). Sebastian allows Nick Cochran to enter Macao despite not having a passport and reports back to Halloran about the new arrivals and his belief that Nick is the undercover detective that they've been expecting.

Nick and Julie had struck up a certain rapport after having met on the steamer and so Halloran hires Julie as a singer for his casino with the intention of using her to find out more about Nick. Halloran also offers Nick money to leave Macao but he's more interested in staying to develop his relationship with Julie. The jovial Lawrence Trumble deals in a diverse range of items including nylon stockings, fertiliser and coconut oil and one day offers Nick $10,000 to sell a stolen diamond necklace to Halloran. After Halloran sees a diamond taken from the necklace, he agrees to travel to Hong Kong to complete the deal even though doing so would mean travelling through international waters where he would run the risk of being arrested.

Halloran, who recognises that the necklace is one that he'd previously stolen, has Nick kidnapped. Nick then escapes with the assistance of Halloran's girlfriend Margie (Gloria Grahame) who's very bitter about Halloran's obvious attraction to Julie and a series of further complications then follow before Halloran's decision to travel to Hong Kong leads to the story's exciting conclusion.

Many of the characters in "Macao" are disloyal and very readily betray any trust placed in them. Some examples involve Halloran who's disloyal to his mistress (Margie) who reciprocates by transferring her loyalty to Nick. Lieutenant Sebastian has no integrity at all and his loyalty is always ready to be transferred to the highest bidder. Similarly, Julie, who was broke when she left Hong Kong, used her looks to sucker a sleazy stranger into sponsoring her trip to Macao, but then when the arrangement started to become uncomfortable dumped him with the help of Nick, who she rewarded by stealing his money and throwing his passport and wallet into the sea!!

Treachery on this scale is probably no surprise in a location that's a magnet for people who want to escape their pasts or enjoy unregulated gambling but what's more unexpected is the rather playful tone of the whole movie where banter, wisecracks and witticisms are the norm. Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell both excel in their roles but are unquestionably at their most effective and charismatic in their scenes together. Brad Dexter, Gloria Grahame and William Bendix also do well in their important supporting roles.

Bob and Jane together again!

[HotToastyRag · 7/10 · 19 August 2018]

Hooray, Hollywood had the good sense to pair up Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell in another movie! After the sizzling magic between them in His Kind of Woman, they made Macao, which is incredibly similar and also very entertaining.

Added into this one-which is not a sequel, by the way, even though it's similar-are two sidekicks: William Bendix always adds character to a cast, and Gloria Grahame tries to take Bob away from Jane. Sorry, Gloria, but when Jane and Bob are together, there's just no stopping them. They banter, but there's something sweet underneath it all, showing that although both stars are big and tough, they'll always find time for romance. And, since they were lifelong friends, it helps knowing they had fun filming together!

Instead of Mexico, the leads are transported to China, but there's still intrigue, mystery, action, and fun quips mixed in amongst the romance. It's hard to decide whether His Kind of Woman or Macao is better; give them a whirl and try to decide for yourself!

Mitchum and Russell salvage drab Von Sternberg

[st-shot · 6/10 · 9 August 2007]

Bob Mitchum and Jane Russell make for a rugged romantic duo in this crime film set in the Far East, directed by Josef Von Sternberg. In this rather light, watered down noir Russell, as a streetwise nightclub singer matches Mitchum with world weary put down after put down.

Director Von Sternberg, whose visual style of the 30's was the envy of Hollywood but had fallen on tough times and was nearing the end of his career, occasionally captures the magic that displayed Marlene Dietrich with such allure and mystery in films like Shanghai Express and Morrocco. The problem is that Dietrich and Russell are different animals. Russell has never looked more glamorous but she doesn't move like Dietrich and her singing scenes make her look a bit like Gilda on steroids. Still, there is a chemistry between her and Mitchum that keeps the film entertaining. The supporting cast offers a comically hammy turn by William Bendix and a somewhat strange, semi-comatose performance by Gloria Grahame.

Von Sternberg borrows heavily from his last good film, The Shanghai Gesture in many scenes, but Macao's main strength rests squarely on the broad shoulders of its two stars.

"You remind me of a girl nicknamed The Sphynx." ... "Are you partial to girls made out of stone?"

[moonspinner55 · 7/10 · 27 April 2009]

Cheeky, compact crime-drama in an exotic locale off the southern coast of China. Former Army Lieutenant Robert Mitchum, on the run from the law, winds up in the gambling and jewel-smuggling town of Macao without his wallet--seems pack-up-and-go lounge singer Jane Russell has fleeced him on the boat coming over from Hong Kong! Luckily, Mitchum becomes friendly with 'salesman' William Bendix, who is actually working to bring in the crime boss responsible for the death of an international police officer. Very tight and entertaining piece doesn't waste any time getting started. Some of the sloppy editing in the early stages fails to shape the scenes, but director Josef von Sternberg makes up for this with quick pacing and colorful asides. As for Russell, she's a stitch either working some very sarcastic dialogue or warbling seductive tunes down at the local gambling house. Gloria Grahame, as the boss's girl, wants Jane outta town fast--and it's easy to see why! *** from ****

Jane...you kill me!

[mikaj-1 · 7/10 · 3 July 2004]

Heh! Masterpiece it ain't, but it's got Mitch and Jane and in my book that's a plenty. Josef Von Sternberg was no stranger creating mysterious dreamscapes of his own making, Shanghai Express and Morocco comes to mind first and in this movie it also shows very much. Fishing nets, artfully bobbing sampans, black cats, exotic bit parts and beautiful Chinese "high-low" gamblers in slit skirts. Ahh... mysterious east it is. Unfortunately sum is not as high as parts would suggest and so this particular film leaves you wanting. Mitchum is in his usual mysterious tough guy mode and like a man said nobody does it better, Russell is little bland in the movie but very pleasing to the eye. Bendix is in fine form and it's a shame he doesn't have more screen time and Grahame is completely written down. Shameful thing it is when gals best scene is when she is blowing to the dice. Macao is not a bad movie in any way, but with better script it could have been so much more. If you want to check worthier Mitch & Jane collaboration take a look at His Kind of Woman, that film really rocks! Missed opportunity!

No masterpiece, but pretty entertaining anyway!

[JohnHowardReid · 8/10 · 30 October 2014]

Despite all the sniping and negativity from both reviewers and industry bigwigs, the film is entertaining on its own level. True, the atmosphere is not as thickly exotic as we might expect, but the chase through the fishing nets is an effective and memorable set- piece. Still, when one compares the rather weak climax which Ray directed with the rest of the film, there can be no doubt of the quality of von Sternberg's contribution, which is the style and smooth visual polish imparted to each shot by a master, compared to the routine and not particularly attractive compositions of Mr. Ray. All the same, von Sternberg has done disappointingly little with his players. Miss Russell has not been transformed at all but is exactly the same as in Farrow's "His Kind of Woman", while Miss Grahame in a much smaller role than usual, gives her usual interpretation of smoldering passion, and Mitchum seems to be even more stereotyped than he was in His Kind of Woman. Bendix plays with aplomb, but he too could have been more forceful and something more could have been done with his part. And the same applies to Brad Dexter and so on all down the line. Still, the lighting is glossy, the sets are attractive and the film has obviously been lensed on a considerable budget. Integration of studio and actuality footage is skilfully accomplished.

A Lighter Shade of Noir

[JamesHitchcock · 6/10 · 1 March 2005]

Nick Cochran, supposedly an American adventurer and petty criminal, arrives, short of cash and on the run from the United States where he is wanted, in Macao (at this period still a Portuguese colony). Arriving on the same boat is an attractive young woman named Julie Benson. Julie is hired by Vincent Halloran, the local gambling boss, as a singer in his casino-cum-nightclub. Halloran is also wanted in America (for offences far more serious than Cochran's), but cannot be extradited as long as he remains in Macao. Although this is a short film, there is still time enough for the plot to become very complex. A number of the characters are not what they seem. Is Cochran, for example, what he purports to be, or is he really a cop trying to lure Halloran beyond Macao's three mile limit into international waters where he can be arrested? Who is Lawrence Trumble, the mysterious salesman who also appears to have a sideline in stolen jewellery?

This is the second film which Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell made together; the previous year they had starred in "His Kind of Woman". The two films have much in common beyond the two leading actors. Both have an exotic setting and both feature gambling and a ruthless gangster. The two leads play similar types in both films, Mitchum a seedy, down-on-his-luck character, likable despite his shady past and occasionally cynical exterior, and Russell a sultry glamour girl. There is, however, an important difference between the two films. "His Kind of Woman" can be seen as a comic send-up of the crime thriller genre, starting off in the dark, menacing film noir style and then metamorphosing into a comedy action-thriller. "Macao" is the genuine article rather than a parody, being for the most part played seriously rather than for laughs, although it the atmosphere is perhaps lighter than in some other films noirs. The difference lies less in the look of the film- "Macao" has some striking black-and-white photography- than in the moral atmosphere. Films such as the Humphrey Bogart classics "The Maltese Falcon" and "The Big Sleep" were notable not only for their dark, gloomy look but also for their tone of moral darkness. The private eye characters played by Bogart struggle to maintain their private integrity in a world of corruption and deceit. In "Macao" there is something closer to a traditional morality, with good triumphing over the evil of the ruthless villains. The result is perhaps something of a hybrid between authentic noir and a more traditional adventure thriller, still highly watchable even today. 6/10

Well-Done Black-and-White

[grandpagbm · 8/10 · 3 November 2008]

This is a good film. The dialog sounds like crime movies of the 1940's, but the script is very good. The performances by Robert Mitchum, Jane Russell, and William Bendix are excellent. Russell sings a couple of songs, very well, and is drop-dead gorgeous, in the role of a torch singer. Gloria Grahame has a supporting femme fatale role, similar to many she played in the 1940's and 1950's, and she always did a good job. The movie opens with a documentary-like description of Macao, assuming audiences would not know much, if anything, about the island and its location (which probably was true). It's a good adventure/crime story, done in black-and-white, which works well, since most of the action takes place at night. I will enjoy watching this film often.

Half a wow for Macao

[Spondonman · 7/10 · 27 June 2004]

It's a routine but atmospheric potboiler, and worth a watch if not seen before. I've seen it a dozen times, but I'm a sucker for this kind of hard boiled dark nonsense. "Shanghai Express" was much better in all departments from Sternberg in the Golden Age, darker gloomier and more menacing, and is the yardstick I judge his other work from. Co-directed by Nicholas Ray (or was it finished?) "Macao" stands out for me from the real routine Hollywood films of the period, the ones that were meant to make a lot of money and did.

Brad Dexter's finest film role as the whispering crook, Mitchum sparkles (or rather, snoozes his way through) in his best comedic vein, Russell and Grahame are perfectly decorative, however it's a pity Bendix couldn't have stuck around to the end. Mitchum boarded Macao without a passport and was the only one not searched at Customs - and the slender thread the whole story hangs by is also perpetrated by Thomas Gomez there too.

If you, like me liked "The big steal" or "His kind of woman" you're sure to like this.

Mitchum in trouble in the seedy port of Macao.

[RIO-15 · 5/10 · 19 May 1999]

A penniless adventurer (Mitchum) is mistaken for a police detective by the underworld boss (Dexter) of Macao. Meanwhile the real detective (Bendix) uses Mitchum as a decoy to lure Dexter out of the safety of the colony. Sexy Jane Russell is also on hand to give Mitchum more than his share of thrills.

A bit of entertaining nonsense. A film which nevertheless is forgotten a few minutes after the end titles. Mitchum,Russell and Bendix all play with the right easygoing charm. Not a great movie but fun anyway.

Macho Mitchum in Macao Mullarkey

[Lejink · 7/10 · 24 February 2020]

A fast-moving tale of foreign intrigue set in the port of Macao, on the south coast of China, across the Pearl River Delta from Hong Kong. The convoluted plot involves three newcomers to the region, Robert Mitchum's ex-serviceman on the run out east on account of some domestic trouble back in New York, Jane Russell as a similarly nomadic nightclub singer, looking for a fresh start after a series of failed love affairs and William Bendix as an enthusiastic travelling salesman. However their arrival off the boat is being watched by the local chief of police, who is in the pocket of American crime-boss Brad Dexter who suspects that Mitchum is an undercover cop out to lure him beyond the three mile zone protecting him in Macao.

Dexter has a girlfriend, played by Gloria Grahame, who becomes jealous of Russell after he employs Russell as a singer, but also so that he can keep tabs on Mitchum. The plot thickens as Mitchum and Russell fall for each other, the real cop is revealed and a ploy involving stolen jewellery is instigated to bring Dexter to Hong Kong where he can finally be arrested. After an exciting foot-chase around the dark, deserted docks involving Mitchum and a couple of Dexter's knife-wielding Chinese henchmen, the denouement takes place on Dexter's boat climaxing in a roughhouse fist-fight between Dexter and Mitchum and a reconciliation between Mitchum and Russell which gives Mitchum a cheeky, risqué closing line before the end titles.

The film was a return to Hollywood film-making by Dietrich's celebrated German director of the 30's, Josef Von Sternberg, after a gap of several years and his stylised technique of lighting is evident especially in the night time scenes, although Nicholas Ray, then married to Grahame, was reportedly called in to finish the shoot after Von Sternberg was fired from the production.

The film packs a lot of plot into its eighty minute running time and still finds time to allow Russell to sing a few numbers, notably "You Kill Me" (great name for a torch song) and "One For My Baby" which Sinatra would later make his own. Mitchum and Russell bring their own respective brands of vulnerable machismo and sultry sassiness to their parts as well as the heat in their scenes together. Grahame however seems disinterested in her part but Bendix and Dexter are more convincing as the real protagonists way out east.

An enjoyably entertaining Oriental adventure, what it lacks in budget, it makes up for in style and the charisma of its two undeniably magnetic leads.

Macao Gesture

[EdgarST · 7/10 · 28 December 2011]

After the bad experience Josef von Sternberg had had while shooting "Jet Pilot" for Howard Hughes, things improved a bit with "Macao" (1952). It is an escapist divertimento, with the pleasant combination of Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell, two hot stars who projected the image of professional fun-lovers, although you never knew who had brought the grass, and who had the rolling paper. They had appeared together in the 1951 film noir, "His Kind of Woman" (very enjoyable, highly recommended, with Vincent Price in one of his finest roles ever), set in a sound stage Mexico. "Macao" offered the opportunity to travel again, to another Hollywood sound stage, in one of those "exotic" confections (mind you, probably done with a lot of grass, but not enough cash), and who better than Sternberg, who had made the Marlene Dietrich films and "The Shanghai Gesture" (with Ona Munson as the villain); who better than he to evoke the Portuguese colony of Macao in a Californian sound stage? Mitchum is at home in the story of an American who helps to catch a fellow countryman who administers a casino, sell drugs and is wanted by the law, while la Russell, well, a good friend of boss Hughes as she was, only had to sing, be herself and pass a good time in company of a fine cast that included the great Gloria Grahame (forced by Hughes to play a little part, instead of being in "A Place in the Sun"), William Bendix and Thomas Gomez. When Sternberg had already shot two thirds of the script, Hughes had a tantrum "a lo Leonardo DiCaprio" in "The Aviator", he fired Josef, and Nicholas Ray and a few more acolytes shot additional scenes. Enjoy!

A routine melodrama with a few flashy decorative touches..

[Nazi_Fighter_David · 7/10 · 15 June 2001]

'Macao' emerges on screen as a routine exercise in melodrama with a few flashy decorative touches from Von Sternberg's hand...

Certainly the ambiance created did not at all suggest that Macao is an exotic, sinful, self-governing overseas territory of Portugal, on the South China Coast...

The plot opens with the arrival of a ship in the port of Macao, and aboard are a former American lieutenant in the Signal Corps, who has just lost his passport (Mitchum); a tall tawny brunette (Russell); and a happy salesman (William Bendix)...

Just before the boat docks, Mitchum, with a confused romantic involvement, uses up his sexual magnetism, in asking Jane about her past... Jane, a woman who had seen a lot and was not about to be surprised by much, replies: 'I don't warm up to questions when I don't know the answers myself.'

Eventually, she reveals that she had formerly been a cigarette girl and photographer at a Miami Beach Club, then was a fortune-teller, and now is coasting along as a singer...

Once again Jane's character is introspective but honest and open: 'I was never considered a brain. I'm a creature of moods.' Her philosophy was expressed by these words: 'Everybody's lonely worried, and sorry. Everybody's looking for something. I don't know whether it's a person or a place. But I'll keep on looking.'

If Mitchum was impressed by her personality, his unemotional expression gives no indication of such an interest... His sleep-hooded eyes still challenge women to rouse him and make him their own...

Upon arriving Jane is rapidly hired by gangster Brad Dexter to sing at his Club Quick Reward, much to the discomfort of his girlfriend and gaming table croupier, Gloria Grahame...

Jane, physically glorious, is soon at work, singing to the gambling crowd a version of 'You Kill Me.' Meantime Dexter and his corrupt police intimate friend, lieutenant Thomas Gomez, have been alerted that one of the three new visitors is an undercover police officer sent to bring Dexter back to justice by cheating him into coming outside the three-mile limit of Macao (which has no extradition treaties).

The criminal couple assume that Mitchum is the law-enforcer when in reality it is another big fellow...

Jane's highlight covers her performance of the song 'One for the Road'... To impress everybody, Jane was wearing a terrific dress...

"You know, you remind me of an old Egyptian girlfriend of mine. The Sphinx."

[bensonmum2 · 6/10 · 2 May 2007]

Three American's leave Hong Kong headed for Macao. While the three don't know each other, their lives are soon to be intertwined. Macao is essentially run by a gambler and crook named Vincent Halloran (Brad Dexter). He's always on the look out for American cops looking to put the clamp on his operation and take him back to the U.S. to stand trial. Halloran is convinced that one of the new arrivals, Nick Cochran (Robert Mitchum), is his man and wants to get him off the island before Cochran can get the drop on him. Complicating matters is Julie Benson (Jane Russell), who both Cochran and Halloran have a thing for, and Lawrence C. Trumble (William Bendix), a man who seems just a bit too interested in what's going on in Macao.

It's not that Macao is a bad movie, but you can certainly find better. Macao does nothing outstanding or overly memorable that allows it to rise much above the average mark. Take the film's two leads, Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell. I thought the pair was pretty good in His Kind of Woman. But here they're basically playing the same roles. It's the same relationship and dialogue all over again. How about something to spice things up a bit? The rest of the movie is similarly uneventful. Brad Dexter's tough guy Halloran isn't that tough. Thomas Gomez's Lt. Sebastian isn't as slimy and underhanded as he might have been. And William Bendix's character is far too easy to see through and figure out his motivations. Like I said, it's not that Macao is bad, it's just not as good as it could or should have been. If you enjoy watching Robert Mitchum play the same role he played dozens of times and if you enjoy watching Jane Russell sing and wear fabulous clothes, Macao might be the movie for you. If you want real excitement, suspense, and drama and the chance to see Mitchum and Russell do something that will "wow" you, you'll be disappointed.

Spicy, Short and Sweet Noir

[Builders · 7/10 · 23 July 2005]

Macao is entertaining and moves quickly (but ends too soon). Mitchum plays his typical laid-back, fearless, charming, unmotivated protagonist. The treat of this movie is seeing Jane Russell sling her one-liners, sing two low octave blues numbers, and saunter around the set. I think she and Mitchum hit it off just fine. The sets and camera work are first rate, but the plot could have used some more development. Since I have to add four more lines for submittal, let me add that the Chinese band was novel (I'm not sure if they were really playing, but it looked like it, and they were having a good time). Also, the blind man sure got around, and I'm glad he didn't turn out to be faking blindness.

"Which One Of You Is Cinderella?"

[davidcarniglia · 8/10 · 16 January 2019]

Macao is an entertaining exotic-noir. Nice pacing, simple, but interesting plot, cool atmosphere, and some convincing performances help it overcome some tone issues. Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell are great as the thrown-together couple Nick and Julie. Wiilliam Bendix makes a good partner for Nick as the mysterious salesman Trumble. Their gangster nemesis, Halloran, is underplayed by the unfortunately rather passive Brad Dexter. Gloria Grahame plays the foil to Russell as Halloran's girl Margie. A whole lot of nuance comes from Grahame's moon-faced stares and Russell's snarly upper lip. Not to mention shards of crisp dialogue.

I'd rather have seen someone like Raymond Burr or Robert Ryan play the gangster; Dexter just doesn't have the presence of the other principle characters. And Thomas Gomez's Lt. Sebastian borders on the buffoonish. In fact, the first part of Macao threatens to slip us into a slightly classier Bob Hope/Bing Crosby Road Movie. There's too much "Chop!Chop!" pidgin Chinese. Things get a lot better once the gambling gets going. Still, how do Julie, Nick, and Trumble afford the fairly swanky hotel when they're all pretty much broke? And it doesn't add up that Julie would be jealous of Margie, who's obviously under Halloran's thumb, and, at most, only a reluctant witness to his plot against Nick. Two plot aspects keep our interest: the Nick/Julie/Halloran triangle (sometimes including Margie's corner too), and the jewel heist, which drags Trumble in, along with the authorities.

Nick is the wild card, as he's assumed to have an agenda, but really doesn't. Trumble's sacrifice in the quest to capture Halloran is artfully done, as he's mistaken for Nick. The chase scene leading up to that takes full advantage of the exotic flair of the waterfront. Not to mention the requisite noirish rooftops, alleyways, and streets. And, the climactic fight scene wraps up this whirlwind of action in the last sequences.

The opening narration isn't objectionable; I'd rather have that sort of introduction than just a haphazardly transplanted L.A./N.Y.C. crime drama. As others have noted, however, there's not enough Asian characters to completely sustain our suspension of disbelief. The blind guy actually has a meaningful role, even though his character is arguably stereotypical as a loyal, selfless, 'wise peasant.'

Some of Macao's goofy scenes work: the shoe fight near the beginning, as we're introduced to Nick and Julie; and, near the end, a bizarre fight as Julie goes after Nick with an electric fan. This is a fairly slick movie that occasionally gets too clever, but it's well worth a watch, especially for Mitchum and Russell's performances. 8/10.

A world full of nets - and "what would Howard say?"

[manuel-pestalozzi · 23 June 2003]

The story of Macao seems derived from the famous French film Pépé le Moko (remade in the US with the title Algiers): A criminal is trapped in an intricate exotic town where he can't be arrested and has to be lured out. But it is not the criminal who is at the center of this story - there actually is no center, and there is no real story either. Nonetheless, this movie is worth watching as an enchanting, thought stimulating visual experience.

MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD

Two famous directors, Josef von Sternberg and Nicholas Ray, worked on Macao, and their talents were not wasted. The set design and the cinematography are wonderful. (The actor's personalities are badly developed, they rather belong to the general scenery). There are many nice little scenes: Robert Mitchum grasping a falling stocking, Gloria Grahame throwing dice with diamond studded gloves, William Bendix getting a shave, Jane Russell throwing scissors at Mitchum and getting at him with a rotating ventilator (the man protecting himself with a cushion). All this happens in a nocturnal world hung with fishing nets, with gently bobbing sampans on dark waters - a spider's web, a big trap in which you never have firm ground under your feet. Jane Russell's character calls herself a "creature of moods". She is a kind of an archetype of many Pam Grier-style characters. (She doesn't actually dish out blows but you feel she is longing to). She impersonates a character I guess many a man would rather have her for a big sister than for a lover. In this aspect this movie is sort of ahead of its time.

I have the impression that many movies of the late forties and early fifties are full of innuendos. How else one can explain why the casino kingpin and apparently the master of Macao who controls the lives of all the main characters is called Howard? Like the owner of the production company of Macao, notorious Howard Hughes, he controls every move of his employees and seems to be collecting beautiful women. At one moment Russell and Mitchum get into a rickshaw. He is giving her a ride home from the club where she is engaged as a singer. With his usual cool manner he asks her: "What would Howard say?" (if he knew I took you home). It must have been fun to poke a little fun at their boss and, possibly, reenacting a piece of reality.

Murky Melodramatic Macao

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 25 September 2006]

When the haphazardly put together His Kind of Women turned into a big hit for RKO, Howard Hughes decided to team Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell again. This time instead of a resort in Baja California, the location was to be the orient, in the Portugese colony of Macao.

Like in His Kind of Woman, Howard Hughes couldn't keep his hand off the day to day production and even more so after the film was finished in the editing. As it was the film runs barely over 80 minutes and if Lee Server's biography of Mitchum is to be believed it was supposed to be a whole lot longer.

Macao within the last decade reverted from being a Portugese enclave back to China. I'm not sure what it's like now, but back in the day it was a legendarily corrupt place as typified by the corrupt police inspector Thomas Gomez.

Gomez is doing custom duty and he reports to gambling kingpin Brad Dexter of the arrival of Robert Mitchum without money or passport. That to him means he's the law. Dexter's real interested in the law, especially the United States law. Though it's never specified exactly what he did, the cops in New York want him real bad and have tried to get him outside Macao which has no extradition treaty.

The film when you think about is starting to bear some resemblance to Algiers. But Dexter ain't half as charming as Charles Boyer as Pepe LeMoko.

Mitchum's without money or identification because light fingered Jane's lifted them from him. That's a grand way to begin a romance, but this is Hollywood.

Mitchum and Russell both give out a lot of heat here and Russell has some competition in Gloria Grahame. One of the criticisms of Macao is that Grahame ain't on the screen often enough. She's Dexter's girl and she don't like Jane and those weapons of mass destruction she's sporting.

William Bendix is here as a traveling salesman with a line of nylons and snappy patter. He's not around often enough in Macao and he's welcome in any film.

Lots of atmosphere and melodrama permeate Macao. Best scene in Macao is Mitchum eluding Dexter's knife wielding henchmen, Philip Ahn and Vladimir Sokoloff. They chase him through the dock area in and out of shadows in the best noir tradition.

The original director Josef Von Sternberg got canned by Hughes and Gloria Grahame's then husband Nicholas Ray finished the film. Macao's not bad, not half as good as His Kind of Woman.

Maybe if Howard Hughes had resisted interference. Just like playing for George Steinbrenner.

A Shadow of Pure Film-Noir

[LeonLouisRicci · 7/10 · 25 October 2013]

Midland Movie from RKO that had a Troubled Production but is kept Afloat by some Excellent Cinematography and the always Reliable Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell's Look, Enhanced by some Stunning Wardrobe. It is not a very Engaging Story but comes off Better than it should with the way it is Composed Visually.

The Dialog is Sometimes Pithy and at other Times quite Ordinary. The Short Running Time does not allow for Supporters Gloria Graham or Brad Dexter to do much, but their Brief Scenes do add some Spunk to some of the Dreariness of it all.

It is a Mixed Bag with more to Watch then to Internalize and is better than an Average Film of its Type but is nowhere near the Best. For People who Care about such Things, the Movie is Usually included in Lists of Film Noir and it does make the Cut, but for the Parts and not the Whole, because this is Certainly Not Pure Film-Noir and is one of those that shows Signs of the Diminishing Emphasis, in the Fifties, that was Placed on the Stuff that makes the Genre Stand-Out.

Was Jane Russell Ever In A Good Movie?

[ccthemovieman-1 · 3/10 · 25 January 2008]

I'm still waiting to discover a good movie in which Jane Russell starred. I haven't seen one yet. If you know of one, let me know. Best as I can tell, Howard Hughes tried to make her a star for two reasons: her breasts. It couldn't have been for her acting ability or that her presence would enhance a quality film. Those just didn't happen. Her films were a bust (pun intended.)

You would think it would be almost impossible to shoot a boring film that also included Robert Mitchum, William Bendix, Thomas Gomez and Gloria Grahame....but here it is! The screen time of Bendix and Grahame are woefully small, otherwise this might have been more interesting. The other (lead) characters in this movie are simply not people you care about.

The fault of this movie, in addition to unlikeable lead characters, is that it simply isn't entertaining. It's dull, folks, almost as drab as it gets. What a shame. It sure didn't have to be with that cast. Mitchum and Bendix were fun to watch in "The Big Steal," but the only steal in this film is your money to buy or rent this movie.

I love film noir, and I liked the exotic setting in here, but this story is so bad I hate to even classify it in that genre (noir). Director Josef Von Sternberg was at the end of his career....and it shows. In fact, he didn't finish this movie. They had to call in Nicholas Ray to do that. This film, in a way, was a poor man's "Morocco," I say "poor man" because Jane Russell was no Marlene Dietrich and "Macao" is no "Morocco."

The only saving grace is that the running time is short. You only have to suffer for 81 minutes. I wouldn't even recommend that.

Chinese Whispers

[writers_reign · 6/10 · 30 December 2016]

From the late forties to the early fifties Robert Mitchum appeared to spend all his time in semi-exotic locales with either Jane Greer or Jane Russell thrown into the mix. As often as not he was down-on-his- luck, an adventurer, or both and all the movies were produced at RKO by owner Howard Hughes. This is really no better or worse than The Big Steal, His Kind Of Woman or any of the others although buffs will recognize the cluttered set signature style of Joseph Von Sternberg who was hired then fired by Hughes so that the movie was completed by Nicholas Ray, then in the process of divorcing Gloria Grahame, who was just along for the ride as the girl friend of Brad Dexter, who owns the largest casino in Macao but, like Pepe le Moko, can't go home again. It's a pleasant enough time-passer and Russell gets to slaughter One For My Baby, what's not to like.

Film Noir Lite

[Prof-Hieronymos-Grost · 7/10 · 10 July 2006]

Vincent Halloran (Brad Dexter) is an American ex pat Casino owner in Macao with a sideline for fencing hot jewellery. The American authorities are after him but he must travel beyond the three mile limit, into international waters before he can be apprehended, so when three Americans arrive off a ship,Nick Cochran(Robert Mitchum) , Julie Benson(Jane Russell) and Lawrence C. Trumble(William Bendix), Halloran's stooge policeman Lt. Sebastian (Thomas Gomez) informs him that one might just be a police man after him. Halloran employs Julie as a singer and makes Cochran an offer he cant refuse, a bag load of money to leave Macao,Cochrans first mistake is to refuse the money his second is to unwittingly offer Halloran jewellery stolen from him. As you might expect from another troubled RKO production this doesn't always make sense but the dialogue is great as is the rapport between the leads and the film if not taken too seriously is a lot of fun, shame about the bare bones DVD