East of Sumatra (1953)

Tough Duke Mullane tries to open a new mine in the jungle, but the natives turn hostile...except for one lissome dancer.

Director:

Budd Boetticher

Writers:

Louis L'Amour (story), Jack Natteford (story)

Stars:

Jeff Chandler, Marilyn Maxwell, Anthony Quinn

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jeff Chandler	...	Duke Mullane
Marilyn Maxwell	...	Lory Hale
Anthony Quinn	...	Kiang
Suzan Ball	...	Minyora
John Sutton	...	Daniel Catlin
Jay C. Flippen	...	Mac
Scatman Crothers	...	Baltimore
Aram Katcher	...	Atib
Anthony Eustrel	...	Clyde
Eugene Iglesias	...	Paulo (as Gene Iglesias)
Peter Graves	...	Cowboy
Earl Holliman	...	Cupid (as Henry Earl Holliman)
James Craven	...	Drake
John Warburton	...	Gregory Keith

Storyline

Duke Mullane, manager of a Malayan tin mine, goes to a little-known island to open a new mine in the jungle. Initially, the natives there are friendly, especially dancer Minyora...who proves to be affianced to local ruler King Kiang. Alas, a series of unfortunate incidents changes Kiang's attitude to hostility, and Duke is stranded with his crew, Minyora, and his old flame Lory...who's now engaged to his boss! Are romantic triangles more deadly than poisoned darts?

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Plot Keywords:

jungle | poisoned dart | tin mine | lighter | mining corporation | 

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Taglines:

For her savage kisses ... he plundered the last forgotten corner of the earth !

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 September 1953 (USA)

Also Known As:

Gefangene des Dschungels

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Cowboy: Just think, within slingin' distance of a dead cat, there's millions o' unborn beer cans! Nature sure is wonderful.

User Reviews

Jungle Fever In Indonesia

East Of Sumatra was one of those potboiler stories that Universal cast Jeff Chandler in while he was under contract there. The story is a romantic pentagon set in the exotic location of an Indonesian jungle with all the men acting with exceedingly high testosterone levels.

John Sutton who is engaged to Marilyn Maxwell without knowing she was once Chandler's girl becomes Chandler's boss on a new job set for one of the thousands of islands in the Indonesian archipelago where the rule of Achmed Sukarno hasn't gotten hold yet. The island is ruled by King Anthony Quinn who has a special girl in Suzan Ball. But Ball is checking out Chandler and the rest of his crew as they start a tin mining operation.

No need to go into all the details, but it all blows up quite nicely with the natives making war against Chandler and his crew with Sutton stupidly bringing Maxwell along into harm's and Jeff's way. It ends in tragedy for one of the five principal cast members.

The film is based on a Louis L'Amour story which since he wrote westerns may have begun as that and Budd Boetticher directed East of Sumatra. Both these guys should have stuck to the American west.