Although not classic film noir, this is an entertaining little B movie filmed in Tokyo during the Korean war. Robert Peyton ("B" version of Fred McMurray) delivers a generally adequate performance as an undercover army intelligence officer investigating a Japanese spy ring that is sabotaging US operations in Korea.More interesting is the alluring Florence Marly ("B" version of Marlene Dietrich). The Czechoslovakian-born Marly is portrayed as an Eurasian femme fatale who speaks English with a cute Japanese accent. Of course, she is completely untrustworthy and leads Frederick into the sordid Japanese underworld on a mission to locate a college friend who has been tricked into working for the communists.The plot twists and turns with some interesting noirish street scenes and good performances by Japanese actors. Not a great movie but worth watching for Marly's intriguing performance and the surprise ending.

Tokyo set and filmed tale taking place during the Korean war about a Mr Carter posing as a reporter in order to investigate a group of commies operating in the "last bastion of freedom in the far East". An odd mix of western and eastern sensibilities collide in a film that only looks like Japanese films from the time (This isn't any Hollywood movie I've ever seen). A wonderful travelogue of life in post war Japan this film score several points just for not being from these parts. It scores several more for a plot that is convoluted enough to make you want to keep watching. Filled with wit and intriguing characters this is an animal unto itself and its a beauty. Far from perfect, the climax is almost silly and involves a cheat of sorts, this is also highly recommended for anyone who wants a good film from years past that isn't the same old same old. (probably going to end up on my list of nice surprises for 2009)

A B-Movie must. The lousy dialogue is compensated for by the fact that a lot of key scenes are in Japanese - without subtitles.Filmed entirely on location, it provides some interesting shots of post WWII Japan and the cast includes real soldiers who were part of the American occupation force. Francis Marly is great as a broadly sketched femme fatale. A trivia buff's footnote: the producer was famous San Francisco attorney Melvin Bell

The noir "cliches come thick and fast," begins both the first review here as well as on the videobox, I was a sucker for the box description but the film never approaches being noir. It is a propaganda spy film for America fighting "Commies" in Korea, with the novelty of being entirely filmed in Japan(not a "re-creation of Japan"). Wouldn't Ike and Hawkeye Pierce be shocked to know the war was masterminded by a couple of Japanese guys in tweed jackets? The plot is basically the same as the political drama "The Ugly American," and though there is some intrigue and a femme fatalistic Marlene Dietrich impersonator, it is mainly filmed without a noir look or moody soundtrack. It has all the subtlety and nuance of the low-budget serials of the 1940's, not so odd a coincidence since the distributor (VCI) specializes in serials. While it might be entertaining given the expectation that it is a mild war-spy drama, it will only disappoint anyone looking for noir.