The Bribe (1949)

Just perfect...

A Masterpiece!

Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Despite an all-star cast and having a well-respected director, a multi-Oscar-winning cinematographer and the legendary Miklos Rosza on board, this crime drama didn't win much favour with either the public or the critics at the time of its initial release. This was probably because its inconsistent pacing makes it lose impetus at certain points. In other respects, however, it's very entertaining with an intriguing plot, a collection of shady characters and a spectacular finale.Based on a story by Frederick Nebel, it focuses on the moral dilemma that an honourable guy faces when the temptations of a beautiful woman and a financial bribe make him question his own integrity which he'd always previously taken for granted.Rigby (Robert Taylor) is a U.S. Federal Agent who's sent to the island of Carlota off the coast of Central America to investigate a racket involving the theft of military surplus equipment and the subsequent smuggling of aircraft motors to South America. The perpetrators are known to be making millions of dollars in profits and initially, the only known suspects are ex-World War 11 pilot, Tug Hintten (John Hodiak) and his wife Elizabeth (Ava Gardner). On arrival at Los Trancos (a popular fishing town), Rigby makes his way to a café called "Pedro's" where he wastes no time in getting to know Elizabeth who works there as a singer. The couple's friendship quickly develops into a romance and surprisingly, the often inebriated Tug doesn't seem too concerned.Rigby becomes curious about a dishevelled-looking man with bad feet who seems to be everywhere he goes and later comes to suspect that J.J. Bealer (Charles Laughton), has some connection with a mine owner called Carwood (Vincent Price) who Rigby had first met on the plane when he was flying down to Carlota. Hoping to find some clues about Carwood's possible involvement in the smuggling racket, Rigby goes on a fishing trip with him and is lucky to escape with his life after falling into the sea after Carwood causes the boat to jerk forward suddenly. Rigby only survives due to the bravery of the boatman Emilio Gomez (Tito Renaldo) who's tragically killed in the act of rescuing him.Following this incident, Rigby visits Emilio's father who tells him that Carwood is the mastermind of the racket and this causes Rigby to consider what his next move should be. His duty is to report his findings to his superiors but because Bealer's offered him a substantial bribe and he's unsure whether Elizabeth is guilty of any crimes, his immediate inclination is to take the money and use it to escape the island with the woman he loves. The surprising events that follow then suddenly change everything.The movie's tropical setting brilliantly reflects the heat of the passion that drives Rigby into being prepared to abandon his integrity and generates a claustrophobic atmosphere which is beautifully complemented by Joseph Ruttenberg's expressionistic cinematography. Ruttenberg's work also plays a major part in the success of the well-filmed shoot-out at a firework display which provides the film with its exciting climax. A top class cast also provides a number of memorable performances with Robert Taylor and Ava Gardner making their steamy romance look very convincing and Charles Laughton and Vincent Price both excellent as the two main villains of the piece. The script also sparkles in places with lines like "I never knew a crooked road could look so straight" (Rigby) and "They get the chair twice as hot for bumping off a Fed" (Bealer).

Spoiler Warning end mentioned! **A compilation summary in my words of highlights & best thats revealed in the reviews & story summaries: Usual glossy high MGM production values. Federal agent Rigby (Taylor), in Central America island to trace stolen airplane engines, falls for the gorgeous wife of his chief suspect. Wife, sultry singer (Gardner) tries to tempt this federal agent from the straight-and-narrow. Taylor seams uncomfortable playing law man who almost sacrifices all for sultry singer Gardner. All in all the love scenes are sincere, probably due to Taylor and Gardner having an affair at the time of the filming, although Taylor was married to Barbara Stanwyck. The final shot-out between Taylor and villain Vincent Price during a carnival, is stylish, interesting, has the elements of death and joy which are effectively juxtaposed and it is both exciting & visually marvelous. The last sequence is worthy of sticking with the movie until it's end. **In pursuit of the stolen aircraft engines on a Central American island, federal undercover agent Rigby (Taylor) meets his chief suspect Hintten (Hodiak) and suspects wife Elizabeth (Gardner), who's a sultry café singer; and is watched by Bealer (Laughton), a "pie-shaped man" with sore feet. Rigby (Taylor) knows he's on the right track when Bealer (Laughton) offers him money to leave fictional island of Carlotta. When Rigby (Taylor) and Elizabeth (Gardner) are drawn to each other, the gang realizes there's more than one kind of bribe. Everybody sweats. Laughton is fabulous as the slovenly loser whose feet hurt, and Price is excellent, as the head villain. singer; and is being watched by Bealer (Laughton), the "pie-shaped man" with sore feet. Rigby (Taylor) finds he is on right track when Bealer (Laughton) offers him money to leave the fictional island of Carlotta. When Rigby (Taylor) & Elizabeth (Gardner) draw close to each other, the gang realizes there are more than kinds of bribes than money. All sweat in the tropical heat. Laughton is fabulous movie stealer as the slovenly loser whose feet are always hurting, and Price is also excellent, as the head villain.

I love film-noir just as much as the next person, and I highly enjoyed The Bribe, having being intrigued by it since seeing Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid where it was featured. It does start off a little too slowly and Robert Taylor is rather dull and wooden in his role for my liking. However, the atmospheric lighting and camera work add to the sleazy yet striking sets wonderfully, and Miklos Rosza's score is both beautiful and haunting like it ought to be. It is neatly directed, has crisp dialogue and an interesting story generally that further benefits from a brilliant climax between Price and Taylor at a canrival. This scene was exciting, visually wonderful and very Hitchcockian in its feel. The acting apart from Taylor is great. Ava Gardner looks gorgeous and acts very convincingly in one of her more interesting roles(seeing her dancing is always a treat and it was here), and John Hodiak gives fine support. But it was Vincent Price and especially Charles Laughton that stole the film. Price oozes suavity and sophistication but also succeeds in being thoroughly despicable. Laughton as ever attacks his role with impeccable gusto and makes sure you are glued to the screen whenever you see him. In conclusion, well worth seeing if not one of my favourites. 8/10 Bethany Cox

After reading the mostly lukewarm reviews on IMDb, I decided to give this movie a try. I like Vincent Price and Charles Laughton, so I figured it would be worth a look.Am I ever glad I did! I found perhaps the best movie of 1949! Once again I ask the question, "Why have I never heard of this movie?"Perhaps because Ava Gardner went on to star in bigger films. But I certainly never saw her better (with the possible exception of the far later "Night of the Iguana").I would not call this a film noir. There are several necessary film noir elements that are missing from "The Bribe," in my opinion. I'd call it more of a cop story.However, that's a lot like saying "Casablanca" is a bar story. Or a war story. Similar to that film, the crime plot of "The Bribe" is just a backdrop for the love that transforms and overturns Taylor's, Gardner's and Hodiak's lives.They say the course of true love never did run smooth. But Bogie and Bergman had a picnic in the park compared to what Taylor and Gardner must suffer. Both eventually fall so deeply in love that they're willing to destroy their lives for each other, yet neither trusts the other, and both are certain they have been betrayed. Used.Ava Gardner is absolutely captivating in her second major role. Although Taylor does not manage to evoke the pathos Bogart does, Gardner absolutely sizzles! She is on screen during a large portion of the film, and every moment is riveting. Her acting has genuine depth as well, far outdoing Bergman's somewhat cold, rather simplistic naiveté. The girl is really torn up inside! The other great delight in the film is Charles Laughton. He plays the sleaziest, lowest-down weasel that just about ever graced the pages of fiction, yet there were times that he reminded me more of Sophocles's blind seer Tiresias. And in spite of how unwashed and repulsive he is, in spite of how uncaringly he treats everyone he comes in contact with, in spite of his contemptible, almost laughable cowardice, he somehow still manages to come off as a genuinely lovable character.The movie starts out kind of dumb. I thought with the voice-over narration that it was going to be another "Lady In The Lake," or maybe "Murder, My Sweet." But once the movie gets going, after half an hour or so, it just gets better and better. The plot becomes intense and intriguing. When I thought it was about to end, there were four more plot twists to go! Don't let this one slip by you next time!