The Corrupt Ones

This movie doesn't start out too promisingly, with a claustrophobic, ho-hum fight between two guys in a boxcar (oh boy, a fight in a boxcar!). Then, during the credits, a shot of the passing train actually includes a moment where the camera wobbles quite badly. "Oh God," I thought, "what kind of low-budget boredom am I in for?" As it turns out, the movie gathers itself like a train gathering speed, becoming more splashy, ridiculous, and rollicking as it goes along. And it is perhaps not too low-budget, either--it may not be Bond, but the sets are suitably exotic and eye-catching, with a rich, velvety decadence permeating the proceedings. Robert Stack is amusingly noxious as a freelance photographer who tries to kiss every woman who is trying to steal from him or kill him. Within seconds of meeting her. In fact, if you're a woman, he's probably trying to kiss you. That would include Elke Sommer, of course, but even more notable is Nancy Kwan, who steals the movie along with her bad guy enemy/ cohort Christian Marquand (he's the plantation owner in Apocalypse Now Redux). The plot is ridiculous, the finer points are ridiculous, and the movie would not be half as entertaining were it not so. For a movie largely known for the title track, sung by Dusty Springfield, a lot more fun than I expected.

Nothing to add, really, to the earlier reviews except to clarify some things about the film. The location is never really stated explicitly in the film, except that it is somewhere on the border of 'Red China' where foreigners are safe. In 1967 that is either Hong Kong or Macau. Since there is legal gambling shown going on, it has to be notionally Macau. Except that I cannot detect a single scene shot in Macau. Many of the interiors look like they were done on a European sound stage as well.

All the street signs, for example, have Chinese and English text (= Hong Kong; in Macau it is Chinese and Portuguese.) There are identifiable shooting locations in Hong Kong. The opening train sequence is shot on the Kowloon-Canton Railway tracks somewhere in the vicinity of Taipo. There is a back-projected car ride down Nathan Road, Kowloon, and one can see the wall and gate of St. Andrew's Church for a second or two. Earlier, there's a car ride shot in Wanchai. There are several scenes shots in Aberdeen, and a little booth selling tickets for the "Ap Lei Chau Ferry" (this was before there was a bridge there.) Some of the waterfront/speedboat shots appear to have been done in Clear Water Bay or Sai Kung, probably because of the proximity of the Shaw Brothers Studio which might have offered some advice. Perhaps most amusing is the 'Temple of the Bells' under which the treasure is buried, which is actually the exterior of the Roman Catholic Diocesan Seminary at Wong Chuk Hang! For me it's actually these shots of a run-down but livable Hong Kong in the Vietnam War era that are most interesting, a document that preserves a lot of footage of a place that has now completely disappeared under 20 years of 'Red Chinese' rule.

Perhaps Mr. Spielberg found his inspiration for Indiana Jones not only in "That Man from Rio" (1964), but also in this "The Corrupt Ones" (1967). Elke Sommer and Nancy Kwan are the most important assets of the film. Neither Robert Stack, Werner Peters and Christian Marquand, they are not bad at all, on the contrary. The film has rhythm, is well done, in all respects. The most exciting, original and ingenious scene is when Stack is tied up with a rope, attached to a motor boat and dragged through the sea, to be made to talk. I'm a big fan of Elke Sommer too (especially due to "Deadlier Than the Male" made in the same year 1967) but here, Nancy Kwan is the sweetest, sexy, cool, etc.

I guess that "Die Holle von Macao" (called "The Corrupt Ones" in the US) is the sort of movie that you can only find in Movie Madness here in Portland. Cliff Wilder (Robert Stack) is an American spy in Hong Kong who gets hold of an ancient medallion and finds himself the target of various and sundry groups. His only escape is gorgeous Lilly Mancini (Elke Sommer). Meanwhile...

Oh come on folks. THIS IS AN ELKE SOMMER MOVIE!!!!!!!!! You don't watch this sort of movie to have a life-changing experience; you watch it to see her, uh, features. Some people may claim that this movie's just trying to be a James Bond movie. SO WHAT?!!!!!!! It's Elke Sommer, people! Who cares about a decrepit old right-winger like Robert Stack dodging bullets when you've got her hot features on the screen? I know. You say that my infatuation with her is inane, immature, pathetic, and non-respectable, given that she mostly starred in skin flicks in the '60s and hasn't done much since then. Well too bad. I've always found her hotter than the likes of Julia Roberts. In fact, that's why I gave this movie 5/10 stars: the plot is pretty routine, but her presence makes it worthwhile. If I was going to make a movie, I'd do everything possible to try and get her a role, even if it was the same kind of role with which she's always been associated. Hubba hubba...

I knew this title from many years ago but never bothered to watch it until now. After I watched it, I realized that the Italians had made many "similar" movies a couple of years earlier. Just to name a few: HONG KONG, HOT HARBOUR, BLACK PANTHER OF RATANA, MYSTERY OF THE RED JUNGLE, SECRET OF THE CHINESE CARNATION, MISSION TO HELL...etc. All with similar plot twists and action but none of which had the elaborate budget that The Corrupt Ones had. But all were made a few years earlier. So why bother making The Corrupt ones in 1967 when so many similar stories already existed? I guess some producer had money to burn. The Corrupt Ones is still worth watching, but do check out the other titles. Larry Anderson.