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Humphrey Bogart proves that despite being man of the century, which he may well have been, he does not look good in a uniform.
If we learn lesson about film noir and one lesson only let it be this: Humphrey Bogart does not look good in a uniform. Who would have thought that? More essentially: what deeper noir message can we elucidate from these sartorial obs?
This rare nautical noir sea-bound anti-Nippon Bogart and Astor espionage threat across the Pacific movie begins with Bogart's character undergoing some weird military disgrace, and apparently it is so bad that he cannot even join the Canadian military, in the sort of scene that only be comic a matter of years later. He then ends up fighting elsewhere getting an interesting kind of spy job.
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| Bogart in unifrom? Across The Pacific (1942) |
Expelled ignominiously from military service by the decree of a court-martial, Rick Leland finds himself a forsaken and disgraced soul, adrift in a world that no longer recognizes him. In a desperate bid for escape or perhaps reinvention, he ventures to the X.Y.K. Japanese steamship company, where he secures passage aboard the freighter Genoa Mam, bound for the distant shores of Yokohama, navigating via the cosmopolitan ports of New York, Panama, and Honolulu.
As the Genoa Maro embarks upon its nocturnal voyage, Leland, burdened by solitude, introduces himself to the enigmatic Alberta Marlow, a comely and intriguing young woman whose presence offers both distraction and curiosity. In the course of his maritime journey, Leland also crosses paths with the enigmatic Dr. Lorenz, a self-proclaimed sociologist whose professed admiration for the Japanese is made manifest by his claim that they are a "magnificent yet profoundly misunderstood" people.
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Subsequent encounters with Lorenz unravel further complexities. Leland, in a moment of candid confession, reveals his destitution and the stain of dishonor from his discharge. Yet, curiously, he betrays an intricate knowledge of the arcane workings of U.S. military apparatus. When the vessel briefly anchors in New York, Leland is greeted warmly by Colonel Hart of the U.S. Army, a salutation that unveils the veil of deception: Rick Leland, far from being the disgraced outcast he appears, is in fact an operative in the Army's clandestine secret service. His mission? To ensnare the elusive Dr. Lorenz.
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In Panama, Leland reconnects with another American agent. However, his growing rapport with Alberta Marlow takes a perilous turn as she, in a moment of accusation, implicates him in collusion with Lorenz’s nefarious designs. Before she can divulge more, Alberta mysteriously vanishes after an ostensibly innocuous phone call.
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The denouement arrives when Leland, upon returning to his quarters, finds himself confronted by Lorenz, who has come to the grim realization that Leland is not merely an aimless traveler but a covert operative. A dramatic escape ensues, as Leland learns of Lorenz’s grandiose scheme—to obliterate the Gatun Locks of the Panama Canal with Japanese-piloted aircraft armed with torpedoes.
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In a climactic confrontation, Leland infiltrates the clearing where the torpedoes are being loaded onto the plane. With unerring precision, he fires upon the volatile cargo, triggering an explosion that consumes the plane in a blinding conflagration, erasing it from existence. In the ensuing chaos, Leland apprehends the malevolent Dr. Lorenz, thus bringing his machinations to an abrupt and decisive end.
In the film Across the Pacific, Humphrey Bogart assumes the role of Rick Leland, a secret agent navigating a treacherous journey aboard a Japanese freighter bound for the Orient in late 1941. The narrative unfolds with Leland engaging in flirtatious banter with the sharp-witted Alberta Marlow, portrayed by Mary Astor, and confronting the enigmatic Dr. H.F.G. Lorenz, played by Sydney Greenstreet. The film culminates in Leland single-handedly thwarting a Japanese plot to seize control of the Panama Canal.
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The film's visual aesthetic is captured in striking black and white by cinematographer Arthur Edeson, with production by Hal B. Wallis and a score by Adolph Deutsch. The supporting cast includes notable performances by Victor Sen Yung, Charles Halton, Monte Blue, Richard Loo, Chester Gan, Kam Tong, Keye Luke, Frank Wilcox, Paul Stanton, Lester Matthews, and John Hamilton.
Set aboard the Japanese freighter Genoa Maru, a name borrowed from a real Japanese cargo ship sunk by the USS Finback in 1943, the film's action centres and as it focuses on that centre does revolve around as is located within the revolving vicinity of the arc-style passage and story set around the ship's journey.
The only regular passengers, aside from Leland, are Alberta Marlow and Dr. Lorenz, who harbors extensive knowledge about the Japanese. As the plot unfolds, it becomes evident that Leland is more than he appears, periodically meeting with intelligence operatives to exchange crucial data. His mission pits him against operatives supporting Japanese plans to destroy the Panama Canal. Near the Gulf of America!
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| The film noir smokin chain of command with Sydney Greenstreet and Humphrey Bogart in Across The Pacific (1942) |
The film's humour, categorised as 'sort of'', particularly in the first half, and the engaging repartee between Bogart and Astor, add a layer of charm. The suspense builds effectively, culminating in an action-packed climax. The film's visual presentation is superb, with sharp, inky blacks that enhance the shipboard set, exemplifying the Warner Brothers house style.
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| Smokin portholes, capers with Mary Astor and Humphrey Bogart in Across The Pacific (1942) |
Vincent Sherman’s direction, following Huston's departure, maintains the film's momentum. The supporting cast, including Victor Sen Yung, Keye Luke, Charles Halton, Frank Wilcox, and Philip Ahn, deliver commendable performances. William Hopper, known for his role in Perry Mason, makes a brief appearance as a soldier early in the film.
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The film's action does not take place in the Pacific. The title likely alludes to the impending Japanese invasion from "across the Pacific." It's an idea, a predicitve kind of placement for what is happening, or about to happen, Across the Pacific stands as one of Hollywood's more straightforward war efforts, playing on the paranoia of spies hidden among the populace.
The climax, set the day before Pearl Harbor, was originally scripted to hinge on the Japanese attack on Hawaii. However, following the real-life tragedy, the screenplay was retooled to focus on a Japanese plot against the Panama Canal, a scenario that Bogart's character could realistically thwart. Lorenz and his undercover operatives aim to catch America off guard, but in this fictional universe, their plans are foiled.
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Bogart and Astor's romantic subplot in Across the Pacific is more lighthearted than their dynamic in The Maltese Falcon, infusing their shipboard interactions with a playful tone. Rick Leland's character, akin to Sam Spade, exudes a facade of self-centered ambivalence.
Yet, when the stakes are high, Leland emerges as a hero, engaging in jungle combat and commandeering a machine gun. Some of the action sequences may appear clunky, possibly due to Huston's early departure, but the stellar performances by the lead trio make Across the Pacific a worthwhile watch. In many of his films, Bogart's cool control captivates audiences, and Across the Pacific is no exception, showcasing his ability to command a room with effortless charisma
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Casablanca (1942) - Another classic starring Humphrey Bogart, alongside Ingrid Bergman. This film, directed by Michael Curtiz, is set during World War II and has become one of the most iconic films in cinema history.
Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) - Directed by Michael Curtiz and starring James Cagney, this musical biopic about George M. Cohan was a major hit and showcased Cagney's versatility as an actor.
Mrs. Miniver (1942) - Directed by William Wyler, this film starred Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon. It was a poignant drama about a British family during the early days of World War II and won several Academy Awards, including Best Picture, yes indeed so.
The Magnificent Ambersons (1942) - Directed by Orson Welles, this film is an adaptation of Booth Tarkington's novel. Although it was heavily edited by the studio, it remains a significant work in Welles' filmography.
Bambi (1942) - This animated feature from Walt Disney became an enduring classic, known for its beautiful animation and emotional storytelling.
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However the website, not linked her, which ranks all the 16 Humphrey Bogart film noirs ranked from worst to best does not even include Across The Pacific (1942) in that 16 and so we are found once more in the lanky lacking lacklustre low tide waters of conversation in which we paddle muddily murkily discussing what is film noir and what is not film noir.
The conversation is in and of itself the thing, for whether a thing is noir or not is not so much important as the noir story as a whole, and the noir experience, and the experience of that reach into virtually all other forms of Hollywood production, and at the same time the cultural production of the creation of a nation.
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This list of 16 Bogart film noirs is as complete as it could be incomplete, and we do not ever get carried away, and we could not ever do something as crass as name Casablanca as a film noir, although we could barely discuss the wholety of film noir without viewing and discussing it.
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Across The Pacific (1942)
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