Alicia I love this movie so much

Scanialara You won't be disappointed!

Evengyny Thanks for the memories!

Steineded How sad is this?

MartinHafer Nat King Cole was one of the greatest singers of all time. This is coming from a guy who generally prefers hard rock to most other music. His voice was so smooth and his style so perfect, you can't help but think he'd have been an even bigger star had he been born at a different time. While he made a few appearances here and there, this is one of the few chances to hear him sing one of his best songs (unlike in "Cat Ballou"). So, whether "Istanbul" is a good film or not, it's well worth watching just to hear and see Cole sing "When I Fall in Love"...a truly beautiful song from a beautiful man.As to the film, it's one of Errol Flynn's last films. It's not a super-cheapo production like many of his later movies (a few of which are truly embarrassing to watch today) but is more an international film with lovely sets, location shoots and Flynn STILL looking fit and handsome...probably his last film where he didn't look awful due to the ravages of alcoholism. He really looks pretty good for a man in his late 40s. Sadly, he'd be dead at 50...bloated and a shadow of his former self.Much of the movie is a flashback. As James Brennan (Flynn) nears Istanbul on an airliner, he thinks back to what occurred five years earlier. Back then, he fell in love with Stephanie Bauer (Cornell Borchers) but got pulled into a diamond smuggling affair as well. The end result was that Stephanie apparently died and Brennan left Turkey. Once Brennan's plane arrives, however, things get weird. Soon he sees Stephanie...his old dead fiancé! But she's alive and now falls herself Karen Fielding. What is going on here?! He also is soon approached by various scum-bags (including Werner Klemperer) and the intrigue begins all over again! See the film and see what Brennan learns about this crazy, mixed up mess!Along with "The Sun Also Rises", this is the last nice looking and cinematic film. It's in lovely Technicolor, has very good acting, music and enough gloss to make it worth seeing. Thankfully this is not an awful mess like his final film, "Cuban Rebel Girls"--and remembering him for films like "Istanbul" is what I'd much rather do. My only gripe about this one, and it's minor, is the amnesia angle--a plot device best left out of most films. Otherwise, I strongly suggest you see this film if you can...it's worth it.

bkoganbing Istanbul is another one of those expatriate films that Errol Flynn was making in the last decade of his life trying to support his family and stay out of trouble with the IRS. It's a remake of the Fred MacMurray- Ava Gardner film Singapore from a decade ago.Unlike that studio product, Istanbul has the advantage of that great location cinematography right at the sight of the Golden Horn. But Errol Flynn, who was aging exponentially before the camera in every film, was way too old to be playing these action/adventure types any longer. His scenes with Cornell Borchers really do lack conviction.As for Cornell, she plays Errol's former sweetheart who through the trauma of being saved from a fire now has amnesia. She both doesn't remember Errol and is now married to Torin Thatcher. But Errol's got some nasty people led by Martin Benson and Werner Klemperer who are after some diamonds which have come into his possession. Got to deal with them too.Best reason to see Istanbul is to hear Nat King Cole sing and play the piano. Most people today don't realize that Cole was an accomplished jazz pianist, they only think of him as a singer. Actually he was a pianist first, the singing was an afterthought.Istanbul is a routine action/adventure film for those who are fans of that type of movie.

louis-king Fairly good movie with some similarities to Casablanca including a song comparable to 'As Time Goes By' sung by the leading man's black sidekick.Nat Cole was one of the greatest song stylists ever, and the way he caresses 'When I Fall In Love' is something to behold. As an actor he was just fair, but when he sings at the piano even Errol Flynn pays him an envious compliment.Cornell Borchers is pretty but doesn't jump off the screen like Ingrid Bergman. Flynn is good but shows the beginnings of his alcohol induced physical slide that led to his premature death in 1959.

skyboy1999 By no means a masterpiece, and far from Errol Flynn's best, Istanbul still has much going for it. The locations and beautiful technicolour cinematography, bring us back to a time long since past. Errol Flynn does show moments of his past glory, and is OK as Jim Brennan, a pilot who's past comes back to haunt him. The picture is actually a remake of 1947's "Singapore", and the story seems awfully contrived and cliche' by today's standards. Also many of the supporting cast seem to be simply "going through the motions" in this picture. Many people have also compared it to one of the all time greats, CASABLANCA. While watching the film, I could see many of the similarities, but hey, Casablanca has inspired countless imitators, so take that for what it's worth. In closing, if you are a fan of Flynn, or old fashioned love stories, you might want to give this film a look. Otherwise, I'd recommend Casablanca, or The Maltese Falcon, as a good introduction to some of Hollywood's classics....