Affair in Trinidad (1952)

Nightclub singer and her brother-in-law try to find her husband's killer.

Director:

Vincent Sherman

Writers:

Oscar Saul (screen play), James Gunn (screen play)

Stars:

Rita Hayworth, Glenn Ford, Alexander Scourby

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Rita Hayworth	...	Chris Emery
Glenn Ford	...	Steve Emery
Alexander Scourby	...	Max Fabian
Valerie Bettis	...	Veronica Huebling
Torin Thatcher	...	Inspector Smythe
Howard Wendell	...	Anderson
Karel Stepanek	...	Walters
George Voskovec	...	Dr. Franz Huebling
Steven Geray	...	Wittol
Walter Kohler	...	Peter Bronec
Juanita Moore	...	Dominique
Gregg Martell	...	Olaf - Fabian's Chauffeur
Mort Mills	...	Martin - Wittol's Henchman
Ralph Moody	...	Coroner

Storyline

When Steve Emery arrives in Trinidad at the urgent request of his brother, he is stunned to find that his brother has not only been murdered, but that his brother's wife Chris is succumbing to the seduction attempts of the man who quite possibly is the murderer. His feelings are further exacerbated when he discovers that he, too, is becoming strongly attracted to Chris, who is a steamy cabaret singer. She, in turn, is playing off one against the other while betraying the secrets of both men to the police, for whom she is secretly working.

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Plot Keywords:

caribbean sea | trinidad | seduction | murder | woman slaps a man | 

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Taglines:

You weren't the first ... and you won't be the last !

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 July 1952 (USA)

Also Known As:

Girl from Amen Valley

Filming Locations:

USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,200,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

The Beckworth Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the time period that the story was set, America in fact maintained two naval bases in Trinidad, one at the western peninsula called Chagaramas and the other in the east of the country, called Wallerfield. They were closed in 1962, the year the country gained independence from Great Britain. There is still a lot of evidence of their presence to this day--airstrips, the deep-water harbor and several still-standing buildings, among others. Chagaramas is now host to a thriving boating industry. It is well known in the sailing world as a shelter during the hurricane season, and hundreds of yachts and private craft are anchored there every year. It is considered to be out of the Caribbean's hurricane belt.

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Goofs

When Bronec gets run over at the airport his bags end up on the verge but in the next cut they are on the road.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Narrator: Between North and South America lie the islands of the Caribbean. Colorful and exotic! Once remote and little known, history is forcing them out of obscurity into the current of world events. Important among these islands is the British colony: Trinidad.

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Connections

Referenced in The Bastard (1968)

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Soundtracks

Trinidad Lady
(uncredited)
Written by Lester Lee and Bob Russell
Performed by Rita Hayworth (dubbed by Jo Ann Greer)

User Reviews

Glenn Ford and Rita hayworth go down the "NOTORIOUS" path

This highly entertaining movie was the return of Rita Hayworth to the screen after a brief flirtation with married life and screen retirement. For her comeback, to establish back with the graces of the movie buying public, she is teamed with Glenn Ford who starred with her in her biggest and most popular hit Gilda. This was no guarantee for box office magic because an even bigger budgeted movie "Carmen" starring the aforementioned tanked in 1948. But that was a unoperatic take on the famous opera story Carmen with a woefully miscast Glenn Ford in a Tyrone Power like role. Avoid that movie. But going back here to the mystery and intrigue of Gilda, this movie was a box office hit unlike the earlier comment mistakenly claimed and was one of the 23 biggest hits of its year. ( I don't know the exact rank). And Glenn Ford was wooed away from Columbia by MGM with a bigger paycheck and Hayworth stayed on at Columbia through the late fifties. The plot a mismash of Notorious and the earlier Gilda as Hayworth plays the temptress who is really an innocent who all men cannot resist. Her husband is murdered and his brother shows up to find things more fishy than they really are. One thing about Hayworth, she could hoof for sure and sell sex through dance and the two musical numbers are a delight. Forlorn shadows, dark passages, whispers in the dark follow as Vincent Sherman, a true craftsman, if not an auteur (I do not believe an auteur is superior to a craftsman. An auteur just has a regular theme in the movies he/she directs.) brings sharp direction and well-earned suspense to this fine movie. Catch it whenever it airs or better, just rent it.