1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
How the Comrades in Hollywood sabotaged films they did not want made....., December 11, 2011
This review is from: Stopover Tokyo (DVD)
STOPOVER TOKYO (1957) with Robert Wagner, Edmond O'Brien and Joan
Collins.
Based on the excellent final Mr Moto novel by Richard Marquand
which concerned communist operations in Japan using liberal front
groups as cover, the film is a perfect example of communist
infiltration on Hollywood. The film is completely sabotaged in detail.
First off the film dumps the entire novel, plot, and characters
INCLUDING Mr Moto and replaces it with a plot the complete opposite of
the novel in detail. It is badly directed, acted and scripted
in every respect.
How bad is it?
Wagner investigates a murder by wandering around and rumaging through the garbage. OOOH WHAT A CLEVER INSULT BY THE COMRADES!! There is an excruciating subplot involving an annoying Japanese child---WHO SINGS AN AWFUL SONG that brings the plot to a dead halt. In the book, Collins is a fellow American agent. In the film, she is just a travel agent whom Wagner talks to occaisionally. In the book, Wagner is a top spy. Here he is just some amatuer desk jockey the CIA sends on this perilous mission because they HAVE NO ONE ELSE AVAILABLE!! In the book, the main villain is an American traitor code named Big Ben who is there to help streamline communist propaganda using his experience in the American entertainment industry. Here the villain is dumpy old O'Brien who is about as threatening as a villain in an old live action Disney flick. And as stated Mr Moto is cut. This is like filming a Sherlock Holmes or James Bond novel and cutting out Sherlock Holmes and James Bond.
The "cavier and vodka set" ---the only reference to who
the villains are want to assassinate some guy so they put a very
noticable bomb in a urn that the target--apparently not noticing the large bomb in the urn-- will ignite in some peace ceremony so, in the nail biting finale, Wagner simply reaches over and takes the bomb out of the urn.
Whew!! That was close.
I was rigid with suspense.
Very very very bad..........as it was intended to be.
The only good moment is when Collins shows up at the 30 minute mark in
a staggering red dress.........but you can turn it off after that.
However the novel is highly..HIGHLY recommended.
Anyone who wants to know how Communist infiltration of Hollywood actually worked...and works...need only read the superb novel and then put themselves through this grueling film.
Liberalism and Art cannot coexist. One will inevitably destroy the other.
Here Art was liquidated.
The Party is mother. The Party is father.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A trip to post-World War II Japan, September 23, 2007
This review is from: Stopover Tokyo (DVD)
Robert Wagner as an American secret agent, Joan Collins is eye candy, Edmond O'Brien as an assassination conspirator and Ken Scott as another Intelligence agent but somewhat dubious. Litte Reiko Oyama is winning as the orphaned girl. It is wonderful to see Japan of 50 years ago - beautiful, intriguing, traditional. I wish more
movies such "A Girl Named Tamiko" were released on DVD sooner instead of later.
We cannot look at American-Japanese relations through 2007 eyes; the circumstances were vastly different.
This movie was set in a Japan after we defeated the Japanese in World War II, when the USA still had a high commissioner helping to govern a country new to western democracy, when there may have been factions willing to undermine stability.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Not Quite Bond, But Still A Good One, July 25, 2008
This review is from: Stopover Tokyo (DVD)
Since the whole plot of this movie hangs on the unraveling of a secret plan, I won't spoil things for any prospective viewer by revealing the details of the story. In short, though, I could describe STOPOVER TOKYO by saying that it has the feel of an early James Bond film and plays out like an episode of Hawaii Five-O, with a few plot elements from the Elvis movie IT HAPPENED AT THE WORLD'S FAIR thrown in!
To be honest, this 50's-era spy yarn may be a bit too low-key for someone expecting a heavy dose of action, but I found it quite entertaining. Robert Wagner and Joan Collins, both very young and very good looking, do quite well in the lead roles. Add to that some beautiful Japanese locales and a nice mix of drama and suspense, and you've got yourself an interesting adventure.
If you're looking for a secret agent film without an overload of violence and special effects, STOPOVER TOKYO is definitely worth checking out.
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