The original theatrical trailer to "Across the Pacific" offers Sydney Greenstreet introducing the story as an even more astonishing tale to tell than "The Maltese Falcon". He should know, he was there for both, reuniting with fellow co-stars Humphrey Bogart and Mary Astor in a tale of espionage and intrigue touted with the tag line "behind every smile an invitation to disaster".
The film opens on November 17, 1941, with Bogie's character Rick Leland summarily dismissed from the Army for the indiscretion of borrowing military funds. With a reputation that moves even quicker than he does, Rick is turned down for service in the Royal Canadian Army, or as a wartime recruiting poster advertises - Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. With time on his hands, Rick boards the freighter Genoa Maru, seemingly to cross paths with a mysterious woman introduced to us as Alberta Marlow (Astor), yet with a larger goal in mind, that of finding a sponsor so he can fight yet again. It's not until he arrives in New York that we learn that Leland is in fact a spy, attempting to get the goods on the saboteur, Dr. B.F.G. Lorenz (Greenstreet), and Japanese plans to blow up the Canal Zone.
Interestingly, the Japanese are depicted on both sides of the American fence. Lorenz describes them as "wonderful little people", as Captain Higoto of the Genoa Maru dispatches an adversary in a New York back alley, and henchman Joe Totsuiko (Victor Sen Yung) demonstrates his judo skills in a couple of scenes. Yet in Panama, Leland's friend and hotel owner Sam Wing On (Lee Tung Foo) demonstrates genuine concern for Rick's well being, and directs him to a theater where he'll get his next set of instructions. With ominous portent, the date on a Panamanian newspaper reads December 6, 1941, Pearl Harbor looming only one day away, even as the headline reads "Hirohito Reply to Roosevelt Will Insure Peace".
Snappy dialog and gritty one liners are a trademark of the film with Astor's character getting off her own fair share of zingers, keeping the romantic angle between her and Rick sufficiently off balance. Apparently, the writers were quite pleased with themselves over a line that's uttered not once, but twice; referencing the difference between their respective firearms, Bogie warns Greenstreet's character - "Remember, mine's bigger than your's".
Bogart fans will no doubt be intrigued by the coincidences between "Across the Pacific" and some of his other movies. For example, the "Fat Man" line is used by Bogie's contact in the Panama Theater, a reference to Greenstreet's character, and a description that followed him from "The Maltese Falcon". The name of "Sam", the hotel owner in Panama, would turn up again almost immediately as that of Rick Blaine's piano player in "Casablanca". And need it be pointed out, Bogart is "Rick" in both films!
As a fan of the Charlie Chan series of films from the 1930's and 40's, I was intrigued by the fact that Number #1 and 2 Sons both appeared in this movie. Although Keye Luke has a throwaway part as a steamship office clerk, Victor Sen Yung enjoys a meatier role as Greenstreet's heavy. Oddly, out of forty two surviving Chan films, they only appeared once as brothers together, in 1948's "The Feathered Serpent".
With both "The Maltese Falcon" and "Across the Pacific" sharing name stars along with director John Huston, the comparison between the two films is inevitable. I find "Falcon" to be the superior film, but don't let that dissuade a would be viewer. However with "Pacific", you'll have to overlook the array of coincidences necessary for the story to unfold, particularly with respect to Rick Leland's roundabout way of getting to the heart of the Canal Zone sabotage plot. You'll also have to overlook the title, the movie never gets that far!
7 out of 8 found this helpful.
Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink