Afouotos
Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.
Hayden Kane
There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes
Scarlet
The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.
MARIO GAUCI
To begin with, I had always been intrigued by this Noir in view of the compact but strong cast: Robert Taylor, Ava Gardner (their first of 2 teamings, the other being the Western RIDE, VAQUERO! {1953}), Charles Laughton (his second film with Taylor after the 1942 WWII naval drama, based on an idea by Luis Bunuel{!}, STAND BY FOR ACTION), Vincent Price and John Hodiak.Frankly, being an MGM production, I was afraid it would be merely glossy and with the emphasis squarely focused on the central romance (given its dynamite star combo, this was inevitable). However, the result was visually more arresting (moodily-lit against an overpowering South American backdrop by Joseph Ruttenberg) and, in view of the satisfying participation of its villainous pair (favorites Laughton and Price), more personally gratifying than I had anticipated! It is unfortunate, then, that all this is done in the service of a rather weak storyline: federal agent Taylor tracks down a gang of scrap-metal smugglers(!), with whom down-on-their luck couple Gardner (making ends meet as a chanteuse) and Hodiak (drowning his sorrows in booze) are also involved – in fact, the hero had been specifically asked to tail them in the hope that they will lead him to the mysterious ring-leaders! Price starts out innocuously enough but, after accepting Taylor's invitation to a fishing-boat outing, things take a tragic turn: through Price's machinations (feigning ineptness at the controls of the vessel), the protagonist ends up in the water and, when the local guide jumps in to save him (Taylor is harnessed to his fishing-rod and is being pulled away from the boat by the large swordfish he has managed to hook!), he is attacked and killed by a shark; incidentally, both this scene and the storm-beset hotel setting seem to be evoking two superior Humphrey Bogart vehicles, namely TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT (1944) and KEY LARGO (1948) respectively. Laughton has a more ambivalent – and showy – part as a would-be drifter, continuously complaining of sore feet, but whom Taylor (who supplies typical grave narration throughout) instantly suspects of being 'in on it'; indeed, his powers of intimidation are such that he has Gardner drug the hero, which gives the latter the wrong notion that she was really one of them. However, it transpires that Price is the real force behind the rogues' gallery and he even contrives to murder Hodiak himself!; still, Laughton's greed allows him no scruples and he eventually 'sells' his associate to the cop! The climax, too, is an unsung gem as Price flees out of the hotel – with Taylor in hot pursuit – and lands smack in the middle of an elaborate fireworks display (being the highlight of a local fiesta) whose noise and smoke obfuscates the action while heightening the suspense of the situation, thus rendering the denouement a memorable one. In hindsight, Taylor's genre work (also comprising JOHNNY EAGER {1941}, Vincente Minnelli's UNDERCURRENT {1946}, HIGH WALL {1947}, the as-yet-unwatched CONSPIRATOR {1949}, ROGUE COP {1954}, TIP ON A DEAD JOCKEY {1957}, Nicholas Ray's remarkable PARTY GIRL {1958} and HOUSE OF THE SEVEN HAWKS {1959}) seems to me to have been greatly undervalued by Noir buffs.
tireless_crank
what a shame, this could have been an iconic film noir but it is, if not spoiled, at least hurt by some bad casting and bad performances. Good enough plot and great characters. Ava Gardner at her luminous best and Charles Laughton in the best characterization of his career. Unfortunately Vincent Price needed to dial it back about 30% in the first half of the film; when he finally turned into the bad guy he was right on key. Perhaps he has only one 'happy' character to play and that was it. Richard Widmark in his less manic or Richard Conte would have been great. The biggest negative in this cast was Robert Taylor in his typical coarse way. His emoting is confined to the lower half of his face and his characterizations are always intensely shallow and unaffecting. Kirk Douglas or Bogart would have made this into a film of the level of Casablanca.
jotix100
Rigby, a federal agent, is asked to go South to Carlota, a small island off Central America, where a suspected smuggler has been operating. His mission is to get to know the operation and trap the man responsible for doing the illegal activity. On the flight down, he meets a friendly fellow American, Carwood, who is on his way to South America. Rigby makes believe he is a big game fisherman and his new friend tells him he will stop on the way back.On Carlota, Rigby meets Tug Hinten, a drunkard, who is his main suspect, and his wife, Elizabeth, a singer, at one of the island's watering holes. The attraction between Rigby and Elizabeth is apparent. She is a disillusioned woman in a bad marriage. Rigby is intrigued by one man that seems to show up everywhere, Bealer. What the fed man doesn't know is that Bealer has been working with Carwood and knows a lot about the newly arrived tourist.When Carwood arrives in Carlota, he wants to renew his acquaintance with Rigby. What Rigby doesn't know is that his new friend has something else in mind. Carwood proves he has come to take care of Rigby by trying to kill the agent during a fishing expedition. Bealer, an obese man with bad feet, knows much more about the criminal activities going on in the island. By the time Rigby realizes Carwood is not who he pretends to be, it's too late for Hinten. The final confrontation is between Carwood and Rigby during carnival where both men have the final battle among the impressive fireworks display.This MGM 1949 film was clearly a vehicle for its two stars, the gorgeous Ava Gardner and the handsome Robert Taylor. As directed by Robert Z. Leonard, "The Bribe" is not one of his most memorable pictures, but what it lacks in Marguerite Roberts' screenplay, is out weighed by some amazing performances. The last sequence is worth to stick with the movie until the end.Charles Laughton, who plays J.J. Bealer, makes an amazing appearance as the ambitious man that literally steals the show from its stars. Vincent Price is also at his best with his own take of Carwood, the criminal mind behind all the criminal activity in Carlota. Ava Gardner graces the picture with her beauty. Robert Taylor is effective as Rigby. The cinematographer, Joseph Ruttenberg, did a fine job with crisp images, especially the ones involving the finale. Miklos Rosza score contributes to create the right atmosphere.
blanche-2
"The Bribe" is a somewhat slow noir drama starring Robert Taylor, Ava Gardner, Charles Laughton, John Hodiak, and Vincent Price. With a cast like that, nothing is all bad. Though the story drags in spots and the bad guys are somewhat obvious, it still makes for good viewing. Taylor is Rigby, a fed investigating war surplus violations involving the sale of airplane motors in a place called Carlotta in South America. The suspects have been narrowed down to two Americans, Tug Hintten (Hodiak) and his wife, Elizabeth, a singer (Gardner). Once in Carlotta, Rigby meets J.J. Bealer, portrayed by Charles Laughton, and Carwood (Vincent Price). They're worth watching, too, though Rigby becomes instantly distracted by Elizabeth. Their love story develops overnight, which might seem strange, but it's Ava at her most gorgeous and Taylor at his most ruggedly handsome. You can hardly blame either one of them. The questions for Rigby are: Where are the motors being hidden, who's the head guy, who's involved...and how involved is Elizabeth? The movie, with the exception of the finale, is fairly routine stuff. Laughton and Price have the best roles. Laughton is fabulous as a slovenly loser whose feet hurt, and Price is excellent. Everyone else is good, including Hodiak, his career in major nosedive as he appears in a supporting role, though a showy one as a drunk with a weak heart. The big action takes place at the finale, which is exciting and visually marvelous. We could have used a little more of that type of thing throughout the film.
