The WWII drama Betrayed was the last film that star Clark Gable made for MGM under his long contract, which ended 1954.
Grade: B- (**1/2* out of *****)
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Promotional movie poster for the film
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The film, which is defined by a ridiculous plot, was directed by Gottfried Reinhardt from a script by Ronald Millar and George Froeschel/
It is a fictionalized tale of turncoat Dutch resistance leader Christiaan Lindeman, aka “King Kong.”
Betrayed was the fourth and final movie in which Gable played opposite Lana Turner, and their third pairing set during WWII. As in their previous teamings, there is strong chemistry between the two handsome stars.
An espionage thriller set in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands during WWII, Betrayed was meant to be a tribute to the Dutch resistance movement.
Gable plays Dutch intelligence agent Pieter Deventer, who is ordered to keep an eye on suspected collaborator Fran Seelers (Lana Turner in a role that was originally assigned to Ava Gardner).
Deventer and Seelers join the Dutch underground, making contact with resistance leader, “The Scarf” (Victor Mature).
As ‘Carla Van Oven’, Seelers is tasked with using her charms to gain the confidence of admiring Nazi officers. However, when some underground operatives are shot, Deventer’s suspicions of Seelers grow stronger, though he is attracted to her.
The revelation of the collaborator’s identity will determine whether the couple can be enemies or lovers.
The narration, which feels like a later decision in the production process, is meant to lend greater authenticity and gravity to what is essentially a conventional Hollywood romantic melodrama.
The cinematography was by Freddie Young, who shot the film on location, in the Netherlands and England.
Diana Coupland offered Turner’s voice in the song, “Johnny Come Home.”
Despite major shortcomings, the film was a big box-office hit, reaffirming the star status of both Gable and Turner.
Betrayed was Gable’slast film for MGM, which rejected his demands for increased salary, plus percentage of the profits of future films. He left MGM voluntarily, but actually, he was let go.
Gable did not have ambitios to produce or to direct; he wanted to continue acting but to get paid more for it. He then joined Jane Russell and her husband Bob Waterfield in their independent film lroduction, Russ-Field-Gabco, which made only one film under that banner, The King and Four Queens.
Cast
Clark Gable as Colonel Pieter Devente
Lana Turner as Carla Van Ove
Victor Mature as “The Scarf”
Louis Calhern as General Ten Eyc
O.E. Hasse as Colonel Helmuth Dietric
Wilfrid Hyde-White as General Charles Larraby
Credits:
Directed by Gottfried Reinhardt
Written by Ronald Millar, George Froeschel
Cinematography Freddie Young
Edited by John D. Dunning, Raymond Poulton
Music by Walter Goehr, Bronislau Kaper
Production and distribution company: MGM
Release date: September 7, 1954
Budget $1,674,000
Box office $4,177,000
