Review of Saigon

This has the potential to be an intriguing little Noir Adventure but somewhere along the line, it turns maudlin. It's the last of four major pairings for Alan Lads and Veronica Lake, and while the two still show off some heat, they are lacking in a great story and an intriguing script. Ladd and pal Douglas Dick are free of their war service and are hired by mobster Morris Carnovsky to transport him to Saigon, and unfortunately, only Carnovsky's secretary, Lake shows up, and Ladd is forced to take off due to the police being nearby. Lake is naturally furious, and threatens to have led charged with kidnapping, but eventually attraction is something they cannot deny even though Dick, not realizing that he is dying, falls in love with lake and proposes to her. Carnovsky shows up in Saigon to cause carbo, insisting that there are only two things that he loves. They are a decent secretary and a ton of money, apparently hidden in the satchel that Lake had when she boarded the plane.

The romantic chemistry between Ladd and Lake is certainly hot, but unfortunately the film lacks in humor and atmosphere. The only attempts at any type of lightness are provided by minor characters, it is really insubstantial at best. A few good action sequences and fights place an intense conclusion do give the film an extra Notch, but compared to the other three feet of the team, this is a bore. Carnovsky is obviously emulating George Macready in 'Gilda", and Ladd and Lake are memorable, but it is unfortunate that their last film together is so disappointing.