To the Ends of the Earth

19481948
ApprovedApproved
1h 49min

Ludwig Donath, Signe Hasso, Maylia, Dick Powell, and Vladimir Sokoloff in To the Ends of the Earth (1948)

Crime Film-Noir Thriller

After witnessing an incident on a foreign ship off California coast, a U.S. Treasury agent aboard a Coast Guard vessel decides to further investigate the matter by following a crime trail le... Read allAfter witnessing an incident on a foreign ship off California coast, a U.S. Treasury agent aboard a Coast Guard vessel decides to further investigate the matter by following a crime trail leading to China, Egypt, Lebanon and Cuba.After witnessing an incident on a foreign ship off California coast, a U.S. Treasury agent aboard a Coast Guard vessel decides to further investigate the matter by following a crime trail leading to China, Egypt, Lebanon and Cuba.

Director
- Robert Stevenson
Writers
- Jay Richard Kennedy(original story)
- Sidney Buchman(uncredited)
Stars

See production, box office & company info

See production, box office & company info

See more at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 nomination

Florence Wix in To the Ends of the Earth (1948)

To the Ends of the Earth (1948)

Signe Hasso and Dick Powell in To the Ends of the Earth (1948)

Maylia and Dick Powell in To the Ends of the Earth (1948)

Signe Hasso in To the Ends of the Earth (1948)

Maylia in To the Ends of the Earth (1948)

Sidney Buchman, Signe Hasso, Jay Richard Kennedy, and Dick Powell in To the Ends of the Earth (1948)

Signe Hasso, Maylia, and Dick Powell in To the Ends of the Earth (1948)

Edgar Barrier, Ludwig Donath, Signe Hasso, and Dick Powell in To the Ends of the Earth (1948)

Signe Hasso, Maylia, and Dick Powell in To the Ends of the Earth (1948)

To the Ends of the Earth (1948)

Commissioner Michael Barrowsas Commissioner Michael Barrows

Ann Grantas Ann Grant

Shu Pan Wuas Shu Pan Wu

Nicholas Sokimas Nicholas Sokim

Vladimir Sokoloff

Commissioner Lum Chi Chowas Commissioner Lum Chi Chow

Griegas Grieg

George C. Shannonas George C. Shannon

Commissioner Lariesieras Commissioner Lariesier

Luis Van Rooten

Commissioner Alberto Beradoas Commissioner Alberto Berado

Binda Shaas Binda Sha

Harry J. Anslinger

Commissioner H.J. Anslingeras Commissioner H.J. Anslinger

Ensignas Ensign
(uncredited)

Ship's Officeras Ship's Officer
(uncredited)

Joeas Joe
(uncredited)

Treasury Agent in Ship's Galleyas Treasury Agent in Ship's Galley
(uncredited)

Douglas D. Coppin

Ship's Officeras Ship's Officer
(uncredited)

Midgieas Midgie
(uncredited)

Ship Passengeras Ship Passenger
(uncredited)

Director
- Robert Stevenson
Writers
- Jay Richard Kennedy(original story) (screenplay)
- Sidney Buchman(uncredited)
All cast & crew
See more cast details at IMDbPro

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Based on the files of the United States Department of Treasury. Commissioner Michael Barrows is an American Government Agent. On board a Coast Gaurd boat off the California coast he chases a ship. The Captain of the ship, the Kira Maru, panics and ruthlessly sends 100 Chinese slaves to a watery death. Barrows recovers a live preserver that tells him the ship is out of Shanghai. He travels there to track down the ship's captain and discovers that these deaths point to a huge drug smuggling operation. In Shanghai, while searching for the captain of the Kira Maru, he becomes suspicious of a women, Ann Grant, believing she's Jean Hawks the narcotics ringleader. He follows the narcotics trail "to the ends of the Earth" taking him from Shanghai to Cairo, Beirut and Havana to stop the drugs and the jean Hawks ring at the US border. —<bill@dssny.com>

1930s year 1935 underwater scene begins with a dedication shanghai 39 more

Taglines
- This is necessarily a story of violence, intrigue...and death. If portions of it shock you, remember it is based on actual incidents from hitherto secret files of the U.S. Treasury and its Bureaus of Narcotics, Customs and Coast Guard.
Genres
Certificate
- Approved
Parents guide
- Add content advisory

Trivia
"Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie on May 23, 1949 with Dick Powell and Signe Hasso reprising their film roles.

Connections
Featured in Grass (1999)

Top review

Hollywood's Production Code is revised and paves the way for Popeye Doyle.

This was a combination documentary/fictional melodrama "based on actual incidents from the files of the Narcotics Division of the United States Treasury Department" for the "purpose of setting forth the functions and procedures of the Division" headed by Commissioner Harry J. Anslinger, who appears as himself in the opening, middle and end of the film. One of the "thou-shalt-nots" that was part of the Production Code list that had to be adhered to before a film could be issued an approval number---in this case PCA No. 12390---was an edict against showing any kind of illegal drug trafficking. The producers fought for and acquired a revision in the Code for this film.

helpful•21

1

horn-5
Jun 16, 2001

Release date
- February 27, 1948 (United States)
Country of origin
- United States
Language
- English
Also known as
- The Twenty Seventh Day
Filming locations
- Los Angeles Harbor, Los Angeles, California, USA
Production companies
- Kennedy-Buckman Pictures
- Columbia Pictures
See more company credits at IMDbPro

Budget
- $2,000,000 (estimated)

See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

Runtime
- 1h 49min
Color
- Black and White
Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1

Nine Actors Who Reinvented Themselves and Revitalized Their Careers

Ludwig Donath, Signe Hasso, Maylia, Dick Powell, and Vladimir Sokoloff in To the Ends of the Earth (1948)

Top Gap

By what name was To the Ends of the Earth (1948) officially released in India in English?

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