Blood on the Sun (1945)

A dedicated American reporter in 1930's Japan, is determined to expose that government's plan for world domination.

Director:

Frank Lloyd

Writers:

Lester Cole (screenplay), Nathaniel Curtis (additional scenes),

Stars:

James Cagney, Sylvia Sidney, Porter Hall

Won 1 Oscar.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
James Cagney	...	Nick Condon
Sylvia Sidney	...	Iris Hilliard
Porter Hall	...	Arthur Bickett
John Emery	...	Premier Giichi Tanaka
Robert Armstrong	...	Col. Hideki Tojo
Wallace Ford	...	Ollie Miller
Rosemary DeCamp	...	Edith Miller
John Halloran	...	Capt. Oshima
Leonard Strong	...	Hijikata
James Bell	...	Charley Sprague
Marvin Miller	...	Yamada
Rhys Williams	...	Joseph Cassell
Frank Puglia	...	Prince Tatsugi

Storyline

Nick Condon is a newspaper reporter working in Tokyo who refuses to toe the Japanese line on the expansionist policies of the anti-democratic Imperialist government. When it become clear to the authorities that Condon isn't going to cooperate and that he has some valuable information and contacts, they decide to get him in their clutches for some interrogations and then dispose of him.

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Plot Keywords:

newspaper | japan | judo | pistol | tough guy voice | 

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Taglines:

Having a wnderful time In Tokyo!

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Romance | Thriller | War

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Japanese

Release Date:

15 October 1945 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Du sang dans le soleil

Filming Locations:

General Service Studios - 1040 N. Las Palmas, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

William Cagney Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min 94 min (TCM print)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie is based on the history behind Japan's alleged Tanaka Plan which is aka the Tanaka Memorial document. (It was made public after his death in 1929.) This allegedly was Prime Minister Baron Tanaka Giichi's militarist strategic plan for world domination prepared for Emperor Hirohito. This document was first printed in China by the Chinese communists. It was first printed in the US by a communist periodical. No Japanese version has ever been found. Some suspect it was a forgery.

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Goofs

When Tanaka accuses Iris of treachery she stands up from her chair and faces him positioning herself away from the chair and closer to the sofa. As he leaves, she is seen back closer to the chair and turned so that she is now facing the opposite direction.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Arthur Bickett: But gentlemen, I know nothing about this article being printed. I was out of town.
Secret Police Major Kajioka: Then let me read what is printed here in your paper. "If Japan wants to control China we must first crush the United States just as in the past we have to fight in the Russo-Japanese war."

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Connections

Featured in Going Hollywood: The War Years (1988)

User Reviews

Endearing Escapist Fare.

American newspaperman in Toyko Nick Condon (James Cagney) valiantly struggles against the dictatorial rule within 1940s Japan hoping to get back to the American public proof of a secret plan made by the Japanese government to attack the United States on a mission of world conquest. Action and intrigue follows as the Japanese secret police try to stop Condon from getting the truth out.

To put it simply, this is thoroughly enjoyable escapist fare. Sure it's hardly convincing in a number of areas (Sylvia Sidney as an Half-Chinese double agent, Cagney's ability to outwit and toy with the secret police, etc.) but that sure doesn't stop it from being endearing. Sidney and Cagney do have remarkable romantic chemistry whenever they appear on screen together. If you enjoyed romantic war-time escapist thrillers like ACROSS THE PACIFIC and CASABLANCA, you should enjoy this one too. Me, I loved it!