Saigon

"The Paris of the Orient!"

1947 1h 34m EN

😐

6.0

MID

⭐

6.2

IMDB

★6.0TMDB · 11★6.2IMDB · 419

CrimeDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

After World War II Larry learns that his flying buddy Mike will only live a short time despite the efforts of the doctors. He takes on a profitable flying job for profiteers Maris to finance a good time for his buddy. As the plane takes off he shoves Maris' secretary Susan on board. When Mike falls for her, Larry tells her to play along for Mike's sake. She, of course, falls for Larry.

“The Paris of the Orient!”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Cast

Alan Ladd
Major Larry Briggs
Veronica Lake
Susan Cleaver
Douglas Dick
Captain Mike Perry
Wally Cassell
Sergeant Pete Rocco
Luther Adler
Lieutenant Keon
Morris Carnovsky
Alex Maris
Luis van Rooten
Simon
Mikhail Rasumny
Hotel Clerk

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Leslie Fenton
Writers: P.J. Wolfson, Arthur Sheekman, Julian Zimet
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

79 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Leslie Fenton, shot by John F. Seitz. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Robert Emmett Dolan. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor William Shea shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake and Douglas Dick carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "The Paris of the Orient!".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0040753 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 11 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Leslie Fenton directs. John F. Seitz behind the camera. Robert Emmett Dolan scores. William Shea cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

179 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Directed by Leslie Fenton, shot by John F. Seitz. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Robert Emmett Dolan. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor William Shea shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake and Douglas Dick carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "The Paris of the Orient!".
7IMDB entry: tt0040753 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 11 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
9Classified under 16 themes, including "vietnam", "smuggling (contraband)", "saigon", "deception".

The technical file

Cinematography: John F. Seitz
Original score: Robert Emmett Dolan
Editing: William Shea
Costume design: Edith Head
Makeup / hair: Wally Westmore
Runtime: 94 min · 1h 34m
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: Saigon (1947)
IMDB rating: 6.2/10 · 419 votes
MPAA: Not Rated

Also by

Leslie Fenton

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

micar62024-09-14
★ 6/10
For diehard Veronica Lake/Alan Ladd fans. I was expecting a film noir, but it's more of a low-grade romance. Also another poor attempt to replicate Casablanca with an exotic location and a white tuxedo. Despite the great character actors, the film suffers from 1940s sexism and stereotypes. Ultimately it's a lot of talking in a predictable plot.

Production companies