IMDb RATING
5.1/10
2.4K
YOUR RATING
In the post-war Hawaii, House Un-American Activities Committee investigators Jim McLain and Mal Baxter hunt down Communists.In the post-war Hawaii, House Un-American Activities Committee investigators Jim McLain and Mal Baxter hunt down Communists.In the post-war Hawaii, House Un-American Activities Committee investigators Jim McLain and Mal Baxter hunt down Communists.
Soo Yong
- Mrs. Namaka
- (as Madame Soo Yong)
Vernon 'Red' McQueen
- Phil Briggs
- (as Red McQueen)
Leon Alton
- Reporter
- (uncredited)
Charles Baptiste
- Minor Role
- (uncredited)
Lulu Mae Bohrman
- Nightclub Patron
- (uncredited)
Peter Brocco
- Dr. Carter
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaNancy Olson hated the script, but figured six weeks in Hawaii and a chance to work with an icon like John Wayne seemed like a good enough reason to accept. Besides, she thought the film would flop and nobody would see it. She was right, to a degree, it wasn't one of Wayne's more successful pictures, but she didn't count on the constant television exposure it has had, and says people stop her all the time to say they've seen her in the film. Olson, a staunch liberal Democrat, said she and Wayne would often have political arguments, but she would always let him have the last word.
- GoofsWhen the plane taking McLain to another island begins taxiing, the door is still partly open.
- Quotes
Jim McLain: Lot of wonderful things written into our constitution that were meant for honest decent citizens. I resent the fact that it can be used and abused by the very people who want to destroy it.
- Crazy creditsClosing credits epilogue: The Incidents in this motion picture are based on the files of the Committee on Un-American Activities, House of Representatives, Congress of the United States. Names and places have been changed. We gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of this Committee.
- Alternate versionsThe version released in Italy and some other European countries is retitled Marijuana and has John Wayne chasing drug smugglers instead of communists.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The John Wayne Anthology (1991)
- SoundtracksYankee Doodle
(uncredited)
Traditional
[Played during the opening credits]
Featured review
Best scene
Early in the film Wayne and Arness take the US Navy "picket boat" out to Battleship Row and the superstructure of the USS Arizona, long before the familiar white memorial was built. This little side trip provides a continuity. The 50's fear of Communism was seen, in that era, as being informed by the experience of the attack at Pearl Harbor 11 years before. Folks then knew from bitter, bloody experience, that evil in the world existed, and they were trying to thwart the new evil. It may appear ham-handed to us today, but, in the context of the times, finding the enemy through investigative techniques probably appeared preferable to another sneak attack. Having read the above comments, I also appreciate the way the writers heaped praise on the local, Hawaiian, police.
helpful•3512
- johngarch-1
- May 26, 2007
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Details
Box office
- Budget
- $826,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 30 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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