Nick Cochran, an American in exile in Macao, has a chance to restore his name by helping capture an international crime lord. Undercover, can he mislead the bad guys and still woo the attrac... Read allNick Cochran, an American in exile in Macao, has a chance to restore his name by helping capture an international crime lord. Undercover, can he mislead the bad guys and still woo the attractive singer/petty crook, Julie Benson?Nick Cochran, an American in exile in Macao, has a chance to restore his name by helping capture an international crime lord. Undercover, can he mislead the bad guys and still woo the attractive singer/petty crook, Julie Benson?
- Arabian
- (uncredited)
- Bus Driver
- (uncredited)
- Alvaris
- (uncredited)
- Woman Passenger
- (uncredited)
- Casino Patron
- (uncredited)
- Narrator
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
- Chinese Photographer
- (uncredited)
- Hood
- (uncredited)
- Casino Patron
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaJane Russell reports that director Josef von Sternberg was nasty to the crew, and would make insulting remarks about her and Robert Mitchum to each other, such as "what are we going to do with this beautiful stupid girl." Although Sternberg threatened Mitchum that he could be put off the picture, in the end it was the director who was replaced by Nicholas Ray.
- GoofsThe photographer hands the developed photos to the police within five minutes of taking them. There was no technology like that in 1950.
- Quotes
Nick Cochran: You know, you remind me of an old Egyptian girlfriend of mine. The Sphinx.
Margie: Are you partial to females made of stone?
- ConnectionsFeatured in Hollywood the Golden Years: The RKO Story: Howard's Way (1987)
- SoundtracksOcean Breeze
Music by Jule Styne
Lyrics by Leo Robin
Sung by Jane Russell (uncredited)
Played on phonograph
Robert Mitchum, sexy and wide-shouldered in one of those loose-fitting tropical suits, plays Nick Cochran, going to Macao to start over after leaving the U.S. and spending time in the service. He originally thought he committed murder, but even though he hadn't, he kept going. On the boat en route to Macao, he meets beautiful, sexy, non-nonsense Julie Benson (Jane Russell) and a salesman (William Bendix).
When they arrive, Mitchum is taken for a police detective out to get a criminal/casino owner Halloran (Brad Dexter) back to the states. The chief of police (Thomas Gomez) is in cahoots with Halloran. Plus, Halloran becomes interested in Julie, so he really wants to get rid of Cochran. Criminals in Macao avoid the "three mile limit" - because three miles outside of Macao, international jurisdiction rules.
Apparently Mitchum did some rewrites on this script because it didn't make much sense. The cast and crew, all of whom had worked together many times, were a little too friendly for von Sternberg, which caused Mitchum to push all of his buttons. I'm not sure if Ray dragged Gloria Grahame with him or what, but she's wasted here, and she had no interest in this role. Can't blame her.
Despite all of this, Mitchum and Russell are great together, a wonderful, sexy combination. Both stars just ooze sex appeal, and Mitchum's laid-back performance is a great juxtaposition to Russell's character - it's pointed out that she has a big chip on her shoulder. Russell looks fabulous in the costumes, an added bonus.
Pretty music, excellent noir photography, and a good pace help make "Macao" good entertainment. For me it can't touch "Out of the Past" or "The Big Steal," but you can't beat Mitchum and Russell heating up the screen.
- How long is Macao?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Макао
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross worldwide
- $3,530
- Runtime1 hour 21 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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