Down-on-his-luck Mike Cormack is hired to fly to a Caribbean island to retrieve a missing ruby. On the island, possibly involved with the ruby's disappearance, is his ex-girlfriend.
Cinematography
Glorious tropical shadows that sweat through the screen.
Direction
Karlson squeezes every drop of tension from poverty row.
Director
Phil Karlson
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This was a loose remake of 1941's 'The Maltese Falcon' — yes, really — with Karlson swapping San Francisco fog for Caribbean humidity on a shoestring budget.
Phil Karlson made this between 'Kansas City Confidential' and 'The Phenix City Story,' quietly mastering how to make desperation look beautiful on no money.
US
