Big budget Malayan Emergency film didn't have to have a big budget. It actually felt like it could be a TV play - suspenseful account of Erusian woman (Capucine) framed by commie (Testuro Tamba) so she'll be shot by Brits, so British woman (Susannah York) hands herself to commie so American (William Holden) who loves Eurasian woman goes to rescue British woman.
You could play that out simply. There's two big battles - at the camp and later on - which aren't needed as are the big protests. Acting is fine. York is a bit of a middle aged man fantasy - horny, nubile, brave, who just wants to shag Holden. Capucine carries history and gives one of her best performances. Holden is fine in these self loathing roles. The guy who plays York's dad is undercast, I got him mixed up with a military guy. A british soldier should've loved York.
As a drama this isn't bad. Hurt by French Capucine as Eurasian and a Japanese as a Chinese communist and an American as a planter in Malaya. Some memorable moments. Malays are mostly background.
Ben Hecht worked on script. But it's a depressing story. Malays have their village burned down. Capucine is excuted. Tamba is killed. Holden gives up his plantations and goes off travelling and doesn't even root York. York is left alone. Just depressing.
Probably better dramatically if York had died. The true Malays - Capucine , Tamba - die.
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