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IMDbPro

To the Ends of the Earth

  • 19481948
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 49m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
783
YOUR RATING
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.
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
783
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Robert Stevenson
  • Writers
    • Jay Richard Kennedy(original story)
    • Sidney Buchman(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Dick Powell
    • Signe Hasso
    • Maylia
Top credits
  • Director
    • Robert Stevenson
  • Writers
    • Jay Richard Kennedy(original story)
    • Sidney Buchman(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Dick Powell
    • Signe Hasso
    • Maylia
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 25User reviews
    • 10Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination

    Photos12

    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)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Dick Powell
    Dick Powell
    • Commissioner Michael Barrowsas Commissioner Michael Barrows
    Signe Hasso
    Signe Hasso
    • Ann Grantas Ann Grant
    Maylia
    Maylia
    • Shu Pan Wuas Shu Pan Wu
    Ludwig Donath
    Ludwig Donath
    • Nicholas Sokimas Nicholas Sokim
    Vladimir Sokoloff
    Vladimir Sokoloff
    • Commissioner Lum Chi Chowas Commissioner Lum Chi Chow
    Edgar Barrier
    Edgar Barrier
    • Griegas Grieg
    John Hoyt
    John Hoyt
    • George C. Shannonas George C. Shannon
    Marcel Journet
    • Commissioner Lariesieras Commissioner Lariesier
    Luis Van Rooten
    • Commissioner Alberto Beradoas Commissioner Alberto Berado
    Fritz Leiber
    Fritz Leiber
    • Binda Shaas Binda Sha
    Harry J. Anslinger
    Harry J. Anslinger
    • Commissioner H.J. Anslingeras Commissioner H.J. Anslinger
    Jackie Barnett
    • Ensignas Ensign
    • (uncredited)
    Horace G. Brown
    • Ship's Officeras Ship's Officer
    • (uncredited)
    Peter Chong
    • Joeas Joe
    • (uncredited)
    Tom Coleman
    • Treasury Agent in Ship's Galleyas Treasury Agent in Ship's Galley
    • (uncredited)
    Douglas D. Coppin
    • Ship's Officeras Ship's Officer
    • (uncredited)
    Sally Corner
    • Midgieas Midgie
    • (uncredited)
    Bess Flowers
    Bess Flowers
    • 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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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • 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)

    User reviews25

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    Circumnavigational Mystery
    Dick Powell's a detective again in To The Ends Of The Earth though his name here isn't Richard Diamond or Philip Marlowe. Instead he's what we would now call a DEA agent though that agency didn't exist back in those days. He works for the Treasury's Narcotics Enforcement Unit and a mystery involving a really large stash of opium takes him around the world and literally To The Ends Of The Earth in solving it.

    The film is narrated by Powell and this Columbia film is very similar in style to those 20th Century Fox documentary classics The House On 92nd Street and The Street With No Name from Henry Hathaway. The director is Robert Stevenson who is far more familiar to viewers for his later exclusive work for Walt Disney studios in such things as Old Yeller and Mary Poppins. You can hardly believe the same guy directed those items as well as To The Ends Of The Earth.

    Powell almost circumnavigates the globe, starting out in San Francisco and then going to Shanghai, Cairo, Beirut, Havana, and finally New York in pursuit of an international narcotics smuggling gang. The story takes place in the pre-World War II years while Japan occupied Manchuria. The most ridiculous part of the film is the notion that the Japanese are behind the opium trade as part of their war policy though the gang is certainly international enough.

    What makes the film relevant for today is the plea for international cooperation to put an end to the drug trade. In fact this film was one of the to even talk about drug addiction, a problem not mentionable under The Code. Opium dependence knows no borders, respects no nationalities.

    The film will also have a surprise ending that you might not expect coming. The only hint is a bit showing a portrait of who turns out to be the chief villain. The artist's interpretation of said villain screams out who's behind it all.

    Powell gets good support from Signe Hasso, Ludwig Donath, Vladimir Sokoloff and Maylia in telling roles. To The Ends Of The Earth is one of the best films Dick Powell made in his post musical period, don't miss it if you can.
    helpful•25
    4
    • bkoganbing
    • Jul 30, 2009

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 27, 1948 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Assigned to Treasury
    • Filming locations
      • Havana, Cuba
    • Production companies
      • Kennedy-Buckman Pictures
      • Columbia Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $2,000,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 49 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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