User reviews

I was sparked to comment after reading another user comment here that contended Blood Alley is one of John Wayne's worst films. It may not be at the top of the heap, but it's far from the bottom. It well accomplishes what it sets out to do--entertain: fun, engrossing, action-packed and--on the wide-screen edition DVD I have--beautiful to behold.

The reviewer especially criticized Wayne's frequent side comments to "Baby" and the film's having non-Orientals playing the Chinese. I didn't find either factor a deterrent to my enjoyment. First, I took Baby to be Wayne's guardian angel more than an imaginary girlfriend. And I think his occasional comment to her was fitting. Yeah, the Captain Wilder got a little dotty after spending all those years alone in that cell. His hangup about "tennis shoes" was another example of his having gone a bit stir crazy.

Having non-Orientals play Chinese or Japanese was not uncommon in the Hollywood of yesteryear. Remember Charlie Chan and Mr. Moto? And closer to our time David Carradine in Kung Fu. I never understood why this is a stumbling-block for some people. And in Blood Alley the American actors playing Chinese did a great job.

Paul Fix first and foremost gets a nod. He made Mr. Tso a distinct character through mannerisms and distinctive sage-like speech. I especially liked the scene where Captain Wilder told him to toss that ornate sculpture in the furnace to fuel the ship, "That'll burn" Duke says, but Fix calmly notes how a craftsman put 10 years of his life into creating it. Here was a man who respected and had appreciation for the intangible things, like beauty and like freedom, which is what Mr. Tso was risking his life to help his townspeople regain.

Mike Mazurki also gets kudos for putting in a great performance as Big Hans. No, he didn't really look Oriental, but he brought weight to his part, especially in his first scene. You could tell that he was a guy you could count on. And for film buffs familiar with Mazurki, wasn't it nice to see him playing a good guy for a change?

Finally, the reviewer said Lauren Bacall was wooden. Well, was she ever among Hollywood's most dynamic actresses? I thought she did a good job with what she had to work with. She did seem tacked onto the film and her story was secondary to the main plot. I never did get a firm grasp on the subplot involving her father or why she ran off in the ship graveyard. However, she did sizzle in the scenes in the pilot house, especially when coming between Wilder and the ship's wheel. Yes, this film was not her finest hour, but Bacall certainly redeemed herself in The Shootist and proved she did indeed have an on-screen chemistry with Wayne.

Admittedly Blood Alley does not have a place in the crowded pantheon of GREAT John Wayne films, but it is certainly not among his worst! And as a huge fan of the Duke I can't even suggest a film for that dishonor. For me, any film featuring John Wayne is going to be better than most anything else on at the same time.

"i think they just want to evilize the Chinese communist government (they may be or not be, now their people are manufacturing for the world)"

This, posted above, reflects the attitude of several commenters whose left-wing sphincters reflexively contracted the second they read the name "John Wayne".

"Blood Alley" isn't great, and it isn't one of Wayne's best movies, but it's well-made and entertaining enough to be worthy of at least one viewing.

As for "evilizing" the Chinese government, Mao Zedong and his regime did a fine job of doing that themselves when their actions resulted in the deaths of tens of millions of their own people, not to mention brutal imprisonment of non-criminals, slavery, stupid agricultural policies that resulted in mass starvation, etc., etc. It's no wonder the people in the film's village wanted to escape. But damn John Wayne and his conservative cronies for making it the background of an escapist adventure movie. Because after all, the death and oppression of countless innocent people that is the legacy of the communists in China is okay, because "now their people are manufacturing for the world", and who is the Duke to say otherwise?

William Wellman solidly directed and William Clothier beautifully photographed this preposterous Cold War saga of Chinese villagers that steal an old stern-wheeler ferry to escape from Red China. The entire village uproots and sails the ancient dilapidated vessel through the treacherous Formosa Straits, which are known as Blood Alley, towards Hong Kong and freedom. Of course, with a stalwart John Wayne at the helm, the boat is in good hands, at least when the Duke is not distracted by Lauren Bacall. Bacall, who seems to have wandered in from another film, has confused living in a small Chinese fishing village with taking a suite at the Hong Kong Hilton. Her stylish clothes are always immaculate and fresh; her make-up is perfectly applied; and her coiffures must have taken hours to complete. The brass bed in her room always has clean, pressed sheets, and an invisible army of elves evidently sweeps and dusts her home every night.

But, aside from the incongruities and the racial stereotyping that was rampant when the film was produced, "Blood Alley" is an incredibly entertaining film that holds up to repeated viewings. Once the action leaves land, the escape at sea is exciting and often tense. Gunboats, storms, and treachery abound, although the Duke never loses his good-natured cool. Neither does Bacall, who remains confused about her surroundings and is dressed and manicured for a cruise aboard the Queen Mary. However, the film is great fun, if not as campy as it could have been. Mike Mazurki lends good support as a loyal Chinese villager, although he looks less Asian than John Wayne did in "The Conqueror."

The stunningly composed landscapes that are bathed in ravishing colors and splashed across the Cinemascope screen are worth a viewing in themselves. The beauty of the countryside should have kept Wayne's attention focused, because Bacall is too cold and hard as a love interest, even for a man who ostensibly spent years in a Chinese prison. Maureen O'Hara always played well with Wayne, and perhaps she would have injected some blood and life into the role. Nevertheless, "Blood Alley" remains a guilty pleasure and loads of fun for those who love watching John Wayne play John Wayne and do not demand an entirely credible storyline.

Exciting flick on the danger waters of the Orient with Wayne as a seasoned merchant Marine Captain undertaking several adventures and risks in Communist China . It deals with a merchant marine captain, named Tom Wilder (mid-career John Wayne, though Robert Mitchum was originally cast but he was fired from the film after an altercation) rescued from the Chinese Communists by local villagers , as he is assigned by Mr Tso (Paul Fix) to carry out a risked mission to transport the whole village to Hong Kong on an ancient paddle steamer . As he must smuggle throughout enemy territory plenty of nasty communist soldiers and cruisers . Along the way Wilder is helped by the sympathetic Big Han (Mike Mazurki , usual partner in John Wayne-John Ford films) and accompanied by a beautiful as well intelligent woman called Cathy Grainger (Lauren Bacall , she later starred with him again in his last movie 'The Shootist' ,1976,).

This enjoyable picture packs thrills , drama , action , sea battles , and results to be pretty entertaining . John Wayne's good vehicle , though Gregory Peck and Humphrey Bogart turned down the role and to keep his new production company Batjac afloat, Wayne agreed to play Capt. Wilder. Enjoyable acting by Lauren Bacall , there was some surprise when Lauren Bacall agreed to make the movie since she was a left-wing Democrat and the film was right-wing Cold War propaganda ; while John Wayne took the role after Mitchum was fired she expected to clash with him since she was a left-wing Liberal and he was a right-wing Conservative . Having Wayne already disposed of all unfriendly Japanese in the WW2 such as ¨Sands of Iwo Jima¨, ¨Operation Pacific¨ and ¨Flying Leathernecks¨ , this one marked the start of new assignment against any Oriental with Communist leanings such as subsequently did in ¨Green Berets¨ . Agreeable support cast such as Paul Fix playing as Mr. Tso , Mike Mazurki as Big Han and brief appearance by Anita Ekberg as Wei Ling and James Hong as a communist soldier . Colorful and evocative cinematography by William H. Clothier , John Wayne films' usual cameraman . Emotive as well as thrilling musical score by Roy Webb .

The motion picture was professionally directed by William A Wellman . Wellman was an expert in all kind of genres as Gangster, drama , Film Noir , Western and adept at comedy as he was at macho material , helming the original ¨ A star is born ¨(1937) (for which he won his only Oscar, for best original story) and the biting satire ¨Nothing sacred¨ (1937) , both of which starred Fredric March for producer David O. Selznick . Both movies were dissections of the fame game, as was his satire ¨Roxie Hart¨ (1942), which reportedly was one of Stanley Kubrick's favorite films. During World War Two Wellman continued to make outstanding films, including ¨Ox-Bow incident¨ (1943) and ¨Story of G.I.Joe¨(1945), and after the war he turned out another war classic, ¨Battleground¨ (1949). In the 1950s Wellman's best later films starred John Wayne, including the influential aviation picture ¨The hight and the mighty¨ (1954), for which he achieved his third and last best director Oscar nomination. His final film hearkened back to his World War One service, ¨The Lafayette squadron¨ (1958), which featured the unit in which Wellman had flown . He retired as a director after making the film, reportedly enraged at Warner Bros.' post-production tampering with a movie that meant so much to him .

This is one of Wayne's non-westerns, and Lauren Bacall in a different role to what we are accustomed to. 'Blood Alley' never reaches anything approaching greatness, but if you're a fan of Wayne or Bacall you may as well check it out.

Right-wing Wayne plays Captain Wilder in this decidedly right-wing film. It seems to be an excuse for the film-makers to express their anti-communist sentiments, with the Chinese being portrayed as a backwards race in quite a few scenes. Add to that the countless American actors playing Chinese characters, and you have a very pretentious product overall. Anita Ekberg even plays a Chinese, evoking more than a few giggles from this viewer.

The Wayne-Bacall teaming never entirely pays off, despite their best efforts.

5/10.

When I watch Blood Alley it does make me wonder that if all these people are so dead set on leaving Communist China than who was it that supported Chairman Mao. My answer is a lot of people who wished they hadn't.

When Blood Alley came out in 1955 the Chinese Communist takeover was in 1949 and we in this country, rightly or wrongly, were not recognizing them. Maybe the policy was bad, didn't mean the Chinese Communists were any good.

Anyway the film is about a sea captain who gets freed from jail in the People's Republic by a village who have hit upon a plan to take themselves to Hong Kong and freedom bag and baggage. The idea is to steal an old river steamboat and have Captain John Wayne pilot the craft down the Formosa straits, or Blood Alley as its called. Lauren Bacall who is the daughter of a medical missionary is along for the ride.

Too bad that the Duke and Betty could not get a better film though they sure did do a winner later on in The Shootist. Nevertheless in her memoirs she spoke with great affection for Wayne and how much she enjoyed working with him.

One other interesting thing has always struck me. John Wayne did three films with William Wellman and this was the least of them. The other two, The High and the Mighty and Island in the Sky are classics containing two of the Duke's best performances. But for whatever reason the Wayne family estate withheld them until last year it rendered discussion about Wayne's acting abilities totally off base. This one which is just a routine action adventure film despite the right wing political message.

In addition Wayne is miscast, but in fairness he was pinch hitting for the originally cast Robert Mitchum. Back in those days Wayne and his Batjac production company did produce films with other people in them. One they did produce was Track of the Cat that starred Mitchum and was directed by Bill Wellman. Wellman also directed Mitchum in his breakthrough role in The Story of GI Joe. But Wellman and Mitchum came to a parting of the ways just before the film was to start shooting and Mitchum got canned.

That left producer Wayne in a bind and after reportedly offering the role to Humphrey Bogart and Gregory Peck, he did it himself with no changes in the script to accommodate his less cynical screen persona.

In fact according to Lee Server's biography of Mitchum, Wayne was to go on his honeymoon with wife number 3, Pilar. It was postponed and Pilar Wayne would not allow the Mitchums in the Wayne home for the time she was married to the Duke, though Mitchum and Wayne were friends. They could be friends, but Mitchum was forbidden to enter her home.

Such occidentals as Paul Fix and Mike Mazurki were cast as Chinese in this film as was Berry Kroeger. It could never happen that way again, though Mazurki in fact did have some Oriental blood in his background.

As for Communist China or Red China if you prefer, you never hear it referred to in that way any more. That's because the second Mao Tse tung couldn't fog a mirror the Chinese set about becoming good capitalist oligarchs. They pay lip service to the 1949 revolution, but that's about all.

Good for them.

Years ago I saw this movie and didn't remember it being so bad. I was surprised, in fact, that upon seeing it again I really disliked the film and thought it failed on so many levels. While not as bad as JET PILOT or THE CONQUERER, this is a truly stupid film and is best skipped by all but the most devoted fans of John Wayne.

The biggest and most annoying aspects of the film is Wayne's continually talking to his invisible girl "Baby". Repeatedly throughout the film, he talks to her almost like he's a narrator describing his character's inner machinations. And he does it in such a clumsy way with lines like "did ya hear that, Baby?" or "Eh, Baby" every few minutes. PLEASE JUST SHUT UP!

Secondly, there just isn't much chemistry between him and Lauren Bacall. Her character is completely undeveloped and rather wooden (except when she inexplicably wants to drop everything and get herself killed for absolutely no reason late in the film). His character is a moron--and an obnoxious one at that.

Third, I hated seeing Americans playing lead Chinese characters. While this may have been more common in the 1930s, it's here as well. The funniest example is Mike Mizurki as a Chinese guy!!! Hmm,....very reminiscent of John Wayne as Genghis Kahn in THE CONQUERER.

So all-in-all, this is a bad movie--whether or not it stars John Wayne. The writing, acting and direction are all poor and I can think of no reason to see the film. I know some of his devoted fans will think it's heresy for me to pan this film, but for every great film he made at least one dud. And this one, while not his worst film, is a dud.

I love this old movie and not because I'm a dyed in the wool John Wayne fan, because I'm not! There's a couple of other Wayne movies I like but not a lot! The Rooster Coburn ones are a couple! I don't watch a movie for the technical mistakes or say who was miscast! If I really like one it becomes a "favourite" and may be brought out fairly often! This is one of my very "favourites"! I can't really tell you why, maybe it's the idea of a whole village escaping from Red China, plausible or not! I love happy endings!! Maybe it's because I'm an old fart of 80! Don't give me violence or a lot of bed hopping that's not for me or 4 letter words either! I didn't hear a single one! I would like to point out that Amoy is on the coast of China.

An American action adventure; A story about an American merchant navy captain freed from a communist prison by Chinese villagers, who comes to the aid of the daughter of a missionary doctor. He agrees to her plan to attempt to smuggle to safety in Hong Kong all 180 of the villagers on a ferry boat. Based on Albert Sidney Fleischman's novel, this is an anti-Communist propaganda edge with a blatant message and slogans about a vile Red China. It plays out sluggishly and predictably and without much chemistry between its two leads, Bacall and Wayne. It has striking cinematography and is watchable but it is a standard fare chase melodrama. Wayne's character as a veteran seaman can be construed as condescending and paternalistic in his attitudes to the Chinese. For all the plot incidents intended to create thrills and suspense, only one stands out as dramatic: villagers reflecting on their abandonment.

John Wayne has to transport Lauren Bacall and a lot of Chinese villagers down river to Hong Kong with the Commies in 'red' hot pursuit. OK but not one of Duke's best. The biggest problem is that Duke plays a quirky sort of character who talks to an imaginary friend called Baby. It's a rather annoying expository device. Maybe a different actor could have made it work but Duke just doesn't fit the kind of guy who talks to himself. Anyway, it's still an enjoyable movie. Bacall is pretty and fine in her role, though the part isn't the greatest. Paul Fix is good although his playing a Chinese character is sure to cause easily offended types to blow steam out of their ears. So if you're one of those, you might want to skip this one for the sake of your blood pressure. John Wayne fans will like it most, even if it's not one of his stronger roles.

The first of two awesome films John Wayne and Lauren Bacall would make together! this one, from 1955. J. Wayne is Captain Wilder; Bacall is Cathy Grainger, and when WIlder is taken to her camp, they must work together to escape the communist chinese. made exactly ten years after the big war. Bacall and Wayne will work together again, twenty years later, in the Shootist, a western, of course. In Blood Alley, Wilder keeps looking up, and talking to "Baby", and for most of the film, we're not sure just who she is, and why he talks to her. They load up the boat and make a run for it to try to escape. Wilder is the Uber-hero, a one-man show who can do it all with the help of the locals. SO similar to Inn of the Sixth Happiness, a couple years later. Blood Alley is from Warner Brothers, (and Wayne's own production company) while "Inn" was made by Twentieth Centry Fox. Blood was directed by the infamous William Wellman! one of his last directing jobs... he only made three more after this. Story by Albert Fleischman, one of several novels by him. It's quite entertaining, if almost too good to be true. Appears to have been filmed in the bays and riverways of southern california. It's no award winner, but it's a feel good story, shown on Turner Classics now and then.

His ship seized by the Chinese Communists, American Merchant Captain Tom Wilder (John Wayne) languishes in prison but Chinese villagers help him escape to sail them to Hong-Kong.

Wayne plays a role originally intended for Robert Mitchum prior to an altercation with the producers. Mitchum was fired from the production by Wellman. Wayne took over the lead after Gregory Peck turned the film down and Humphrey Bogart requested a large amount of money to assume the role.

Many people have focused on the way China and the Chinese are treated in the film. Many of the Chinese roles are filled by obviously non-Chinese actors. And because this is shortly after the Korean War, Chinese-American relations are not great. But I think Wayne getting the part is the more interesting story... this is clearly a role Mitchum would have dominated at, Peck would have brought acting chops to, and Bogart would have the Bacall rapport. But Wayne? Other than his fan base, he seems like an unlikely choice.

Pretty much a relic of the time it was made, "Blood Alley" is colored by the right-wing sympathies of its star,oriental stereotypes,which are very racist,and some hammy acting. I found the early part of the film hilarious,with Paul Fix doing a very poor oriental act that was really laughable. John Wayne and Lauren Bacall display no chemistry at all (perhaps she only had it with Bogie on screen). The performance of Wayne is one of his worst. Once the escape to Hong Kong starts the movie picks up pace and is pretty entertaining. I recommend this movie only to die-hard Wayne fans. A mediocre Wayne movie saved by the action of the latter part of the movie.

Shows the communist way of oppression and total disregard for human life, even their own people. Mild compared to what Mao actually did to China. Good for all ages. Unique concept of the quirks of John Wayne's character. Rare display of a movie to show the way of communists without typical socialist and anti-American excuses. As for the real life murders of 40 to 60 million Chinese during Mao's dictatorship this is a hopeful story. Millions of Chinese were able to do this, however with little help from the outside world. Several movies and reports of this type were available before the censorship by pro-communists of the later 60's and 70's.

Blood Alley stars John Wayne as a resolute boat captain (replacing Robert Mitchum) who becomes involved in evacuating a Chinese village - and Lauren Bacall - across the perilous Formosa Strait (also known as Blood Alley) on a rickety paddle steamer, heading for safety in Hong Kong. Wayne and Bacall share strong chemistry, despite Hedda Hopper's critical comments in her column, where she dismissed Bacall's casting as detrimental to the film (which it isn't).

Several white actors portray Chinese characters (including Paul Fix and Berry Kroeger), and Mike Mazurki shines in one of his best roles as Big Han, though it's unclear whether his character is meant to be Chinese, Mongolian, or something else.

Henry Nakamura delivers a solid performance as the sharp-tongued engineer. An interesting bit of trivia: Swedish actress Anita Ekberg plays a Chinese peasant and won the Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer, despite appearing in just two or three scenes, with no lines of dialogue.

.... Though that`s only to be expected . It`s not like anyone is going to confuse John Wayne with Jimmy Carter or Bill Clinton are they ? , so when you have a movie about the Duke escorting a bunch of refugees downriver from Red China you know what to expect ie all Chinese who aren`t commies are brave and noble and could easily pass as WASPish Americans while all communist Chinese are drunk , stupid and rape anything that moves . Like THE GREEN BERETS there`s no racism involved since the point is made - And it`s as subtle as hitting someone over the head with a sledgehammer - that we shouldn`t judge people on the colour of their skin only on the colour of their politics . If you liked THE GREEN BERETS you`ll like this . I didn`t but there is some irony involved in seeing John Wayne dressed in the uniform of red army officer

In China, the American Merchant Navy Capt. Tom Wilder (John Wayne) has been prisoner of the Chinese for two years. Out of the blue, he receives a message in a mattress with a Russian uniform, a revolver and the information that the guards had been bribed to let him escape. He meets a man waiting for him in a sampan and they head to the Chiku Shan village. He meets the village leader Mr. Tso (Paul Fix) and the American Cathy Grainger (Lauren Bacall) that explain him that they have recruited him to take 179 villagers to Hong Kong in a ferry boat. He is reluctant, since the old boat is adequate to inland waters only and does not have maps or charts. But soon he is convinced to accept the dangerous trip.

"Blood Alley" (1955) is an entertaining and funny adventure in China, surprisingly underrated in IMDb. There is silliness in the screenplay, like Tom Wilder and his imaginary friend Baby, or the steam ferry boat crowded crossing rough sea, or the American propaganda about the communist China, but the adventure is not bad. John Wayne as romantic pair of Lauren Bacall without any chemistry is another weak point, but in the end, it is worthwhile watching this movie. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Rota Sangrenta" ("Bloody Route")

At least one of my all time favourite for this kind of genre: anti red fashion. Not because of the message, the plot, but the cast, scenery, directing, and William Wellman is a director whose film have always more or less - here, more - enchanted me. Here, the Duke co stars Lauren Bacall, who was in real life on the total opposite political side of Wayne; and that's pretty interesting to know regarding this very movie, the plot, the scheme. There is nothing exceptional, jawdropping here, but I love this atmosphere, surroundings in China. I felt more or less the same in SAND PEBBLES, made eleven years later. And it is the first time that Duke and former Humphrey Bogart's wife starred together; twenty one years before THE SHOOTIST.

really, a comment by nnnn45089191 is exactly what this movie is,

Right-wing propaganda of the 50's Author: nnnn45089191 from Norway

Most of the views here are from western countries, where people had tunnel vision of what china was about in the 1950s. propaganda is a universal tool used by Germans, Japanese, Americans, Chinese, English, in fact all government in that chapter of earth's history.

the movie didn't even try to depict the real environment in china, having westerners dressed in feudalism period Chinese costumes and speak cantonese (mandarine is the official Chinese language and cantonese is only spoken in one Chinese province - canton) is just hilarious. And it also shows how desperate the film producers are trying to convey the story, no matter how unprofessional the movie looks.

and when the "Chinese navy" fired, the battleship officers were speaking cantonese too... and Chinese army had absolutely no such fire power in the 1950s.

if you don't get the hang of this, try imagining this way, 1. American's war against the native indians, 2.a bunch of white Americans dressed like indians, speaking a minority Indian language poorly 3.indian army's fighter jet rains death

really, the film makers have no idea what china really is and they clearly showed no intention of even trying to convey the true image... the whole story was a make up.

u really need to ask, what is it that they want to achieve by making such a film.

i think they just want to evilize the Chinese communist government (they may be or not be, now their people are manufacturing for the world), like what GW Bush did to the old iraq regime whom was once supported by the USA government itself.

I've seen nearly all of John Wayne's A list films, but never caught "Blood Alley" til a recent showing on TCM. Looking at the credits I was pleasantly surprised that this 1955 offering was filmed in color, Panavision and directed by the great Wild Bill Wellman. It is gorgeously filmed and the action scenes are plenty and well done, as The Duke is a South Seas Captain sprung from a Communist Chinese prison to pilot a paddleboat that will take oppressed villagers from mainland China to freedom in Hong Kong. BTW, Wayne looked remarkably fit and healthy after 2 years in solitary confinement. He also acquired, to keep his sanity, a habit of talking to an imaginary character he calls "Baby." This may have been a good device in author Albert Fleischmann's novel, but in a movie script it's annoying. Lauren Bacall is the daughter of a missionary and even in the hot and stultifying humidity her hair, makeup, and clothing always look perfect. Naturally her and The Duke fall in love, but there is no chemistry. As mentioned, some great action scenes as storms, treason, and the Red Chinese Navy tries to stop them.