The Bribe (1949)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Robert Z. Leonard

Writers:

Frederick Nebel (story)
Marguerite Roberts (writer)

Release Date:

25 August 1949 (Australia)

Genre:

Film-Noir | Thriller

Tagline:

5 Great Stars in a Daring Drama of Love and Adventure !

Plot:

Federal agent Rigby, in Central America to trace stolen plane engines, falls for the gorgeous wife of the chief suspect.

Plot Keywords:

Federal Agent | Beautiful Woman | Latin America

Cast

Robert Taylor	...	Rigby
Ava Gardner	...	Elizabeth Hintten
Charles Laughton	...	J.J. Bealer
Vincent Price	...	Carwood
John Hodiak	...	Tugwell 'Tug' Hintten
Samuel S. Hinds	...	Dr. Warren
John Hoyt	...	Gibbs
Tito Renaldo	...	Emilio Gomez
Martin Garralaga	...	Pablo Gomez

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

France:U | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Quotes:

Rigby: Look, why don't you stop acting like you're alone in the jungle?
Elizabeth: I'm not?
Rigby: OK, so you are, but you'd be surprised how nice the birds and the beasts can be if you'll only give them a chance.
Elizabeth: Tell me, Rigby, do you fly, walk on all fours...or crawl?

Movie Connections:

Edited into Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982)

Soundtrack:

Situation Wanted

Taylor and Gardner in steamy jungle noir.

"The Bribe" is one of the forties film noir entries, and I love it! Top stars of the era include Robert Taylor, Ava Gardner, Charles Laughton, and Vincent Price. It is a story of an honest cop, Rigby played with remarkable insight, by Robert Taylor, who falls in love with a suspect (Ava Gardner), and can't make up his mind on if she is guilty or innocent. John Hodiak is the husband, who is a former fly boy turned crook. Charles Laughton is at his sinister best as the "pie shaped man" who is hired by Vincent Price to pay off Rigby. Laughton dogs Rigby, knowing that he is in love with Gardner, till he caves in and decides to take a bribe to save his love. As in many film noir, only Taylor's last name is used, we never know Rigby's first name, interesting. Taylor is very convincing as a man torn between love and honor. He is so conflicted, that you feel sorry for him, wishing that Ava would just run away with him before he turns crook himself. She drugs him and makes sure he can't stop the crooks, but he recovers, and confronts her, not realizing the trouble she is in herself. In the end, love and honor conquer all. There is a spectacular fireworks ending, that is reminiscent of "Ride the Pink Horse." All in all the love scenes are sincere, probably because Taylor and Gardner were having an affair at the time of filming, despite the fact that Taylor was very married to Barbara Stanwyck. Quintessential film noir.