FLIGHT TO TANGIER (1953)

I was not sure what to make of this Paramount Pictures film with the established and respected Joan Fontaine co-starring with newcomer, Jack Palance. How could this possibly work? Thanks to a sleep-inducing, confusing screenplay, it does not. The audience may have been disappointed with Palance's 180-degree pivot from his signature role in Shane. Paul Sawtell's score, periodically, is grounded in adventure but I think even he was not that inspired. Not too relevant to mention but the film was produced in Dynoptic 3D. You will not miss it or figure out where it was used. There is a lot of camera crew action at times yet it still just lays there. Just enjoy the thespians doing their thing and the thick Technicolor. 

Joining Fontaine and Palance are Robert Douglas and Corinne Calvet. We have little clue as to their relationship yet they all seem to know each other. It made me wonder if I missed the opening. Like the cast, the audience is on their own self-discovery adventure. Fontaine first appears distracted, wondering how to get out of this project or what were those papers she signed at the studio. Calvet, with her legit, yet sounding like a clichéd French accent, may never have looked better than in light green. Douglas has the condescending tone of a scoundrel so we gather his intent in this movie. We find them all looking skyward from the Tangier airport for a DC-3's arrival. Though a plane can fly on auto-pilot it cannot land with it. To their surprise, authorities find no one in or around the crashed plane. Missing in action is a courier, a briefcase with contents worth $3 million, and the pilot.

Everywhere Fontaine, Palance and Calvet go in search of the plot...er...pilot and the courier, Douglas and his unethical entourage follow. In fact, more often than not, within eyesight of each other. Pretty funny when it is obvious they are on the same set or the studio camera only needs to pan to find either party. This “action” repeats itself with hardly a hint of excitement or any chase defining the word. Sooner or later you are back with two groups devising their next plan. If you miss seeing the first half, just make sure you are there for the last fifteen minutes. The script allows Fontaine to reunite with the pilot, the courier and the millions for a sudden ending. None of which explains why the film is ninety minutes long.