Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.

Claysaba Excellent, Without a doubt!!

Console best movie i've ever seen.

CommentsXp Best movie ever!

John T. Ryan ONCE AGAIN, WE are able to refer to our having seen this film "with the naked eye"; that being, at the local movie house in our neighborhood. In much of the same way that God intended us to see Baseball Under the Lights; he also wanted us to see Movies at the Show! IN OUR CASE, it was the Ogden Theatre at 63rd & Ashland, in Chicago's West Englewood neighborhood. We were about ten years old at the time and really didn't particularly like the film. This was probably and most likely due to the fact that a young kid would not understand the story, nor its relevance to recent history and current events.HAVING VIEWED THE same movie in recent times (more than once)and owing to the undeniable consequences of growing decidedly "long in the tooth", we have radically altered our opinion of BLOOD ALLEY.SO, UPON FURTHER review, we must proclaim this to be one of the better dramas of that middle 1950s. Its offbeat characters, desperate situations and the winning premise of a cynical, world weary boozer's finding both redemption and love are the makings of a dynamite winning combination.STRONG FEATURES OF the production were: realistic settings, great incidental music, fine color work and a plausible storyline that keeps one interested from start to end. Of course, all of these elements were skillfully blended by one Mr. William Wellman, Director extraordinaire.A large cast was assembled that featured many of the Chinese actors of Hollywood, including such names as Victor Sen Young. There are very many extras of Asian descent present; as well as some Caucasians masquerading as Chinese. Two names that stick out to us are Mike Mazurki and Anita Ekberg.ITS LARGE CAST features the main characters of Stars John Wayne and (Mrs. Betty Bogart, herself) Lauren Bacall. They do make for a very interesting, albeit quite offbeat, couple. We also learned that Mr. Robert Mitchum was fired off of the picture and replaced by the Duke; who incidentally produced it.AS ENJOYABLE AS Mr. Wayne and Miss Bacall in the picture, we can't help feeling that Mitchum was much more the real world counterpart of this crusty sea-dog of a Merchant Captain.

edwagreen Interesting, but predictable John Wayne venue. It is never fully explained how the villagers were able to get Wayne out of a Chinese Communist prison. Of course, when he comes to them, they tell them of their desire to flee to Hong Kong and that he should lead them on a steamer which is a lot to be desired.Surprisingly, there isn't that much violence in the film. Lauren Bacall portrays an American in the village whose father is a doctor there. Bacall is rather subdued here, and of course romance comes slowly between her character and that of Wayne's.Good vehicle for Wayne to have promoted his anti-Communist agenda. He constantly makes references to Baby, an imaginative person. Reminded me of Mike Myers.

romanorum1 Captain Tom Wilder (John Wayne), languishing in a southern Chinese Communist prison and kept sane by his imaginary girlfriend "Baby," is freed from his jailers by a bribe raised by the efforts of local villagers. There is a price. As an experienced sea captain, Wilder is expected to convey the 180 villagers 300 miles down Blood Alley (really the Pearl River or Zhu Jiang: just check a map) to the safety of Hong Kong so that they may escape the machinations of the brutal Chinese Communists. Wilder is initially reluctant: His ship is just an old ferryboat (1885), and he has no maps or charts to navigate a river that has many boat wrecks. The ferryboat is flat-bottomed and reaches a grand total of 8 knots (nautical miles per hour). And yet Wilder is intrigued by the opportunity to outwit the Reds. Time is short, as the ruthless Communist soldiers, searching for Wilder, are terrorizing the villagers. After a trick that ensnares the Communist patrol boat on a high riverbed, Wayne and his passengers are soon on their way down river. Wilder is accompanied by a doctor's daughter, Cathy Grainger (Lauren Bacall), fellow-escapee and love interest. Along the way are many obstacles: gunboats, stormy weather, mutiny, poisoned food, etc. There is a final escape through shallow water aided by a human tow. Through it all you just knew that Wilder would see things through in the end. After all, even though there were over 600 million Chinese, they did not stand a chance against the Duke. Colorful and Entertaining.

kknd really, a comment by nnnn45089191 is exactly what this movie is, Right-wing propaganda of the 50's Author: nnnn45089191 from NorwayMost 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 deathreally, 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.