Main Cast: Clark Gable, Susan Hayward, Michael Rennie, Gene Barry, Alex D'Arcy
Release Year: 1955
Country: US
Run Time: 96 minutes
Plot
The first of two Clark Gable films produced by 20th Century-Fox, Soldier of Fortune casts Gable as an American mercenary, running a successful smuggling operation in and out of Hong Kong. Gable is hired by Susan Hayward, who hopes to locate her missing husband, photographer Gene Barry. Upon discovering that Barry is being held by the Communists somewhere on the Chinese mainland, Gable risks his neck to rescue the man. Along the way, he falls in love with Hayward, which may or may not compromise his dedication to saving Barry's neck. Filmed largely on location, Soldier of Fortune deserves to be seen in its original CinemaScope form--or, at the very least, in the "letterboxed" version recently made available to cable television. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Tom Tully - Tweedie; Anna Sten - Mme. Dupree; Russell Collins - Icky; Leo Gordon - Big Matt; Richard Loo - Po-Lin; Soo Yong - Dak Lai; Frank Tang - Ying Fai; Jack Kruschen - Austin Stoker; Mel Welles - Rocha; Jack Raine - Maj. Leith-Phipps; George Wallace - Gunner; Alex Finlayson - Australian Airman; Noel Toy - Luan; Beal Wong - Chinese Clerk; Robert Burton - Father Xavier; Robert Quarry - Frank Stewart; Charles Davis - Hotel Desk Clerk; Victor Sen Yung - Goldie; Danny Chang - Billy Lee; Barry Bernard - English People; George Chan - Cheap Hotel Clerk; Frances Fong - Maxine; Ivis Goulding; Kam Tong - Needle; Ernst R. von Theumer; William Yip - Bartender
Jane Hoyt (Susan Hayward) arrives in Hong Kong, looking for someone to attempt to free her husband, photojournalist Louis Hoyt (Gene Barry), from a Communist Chinese prison. Soldier of fortune Hank Lee (Clark Gable) first tries to convince her to give up the foolhardy venture; when she rejects his advice, he reluctantly helps her recruiting efforts. Finally, he falls in love with her.
Realizing that she won't let herself get involved with him while her husband's fate remains uncertain, he decides to rescue the man himself. Inspector Merryweather (Michael Rennie) of the Hong Kong police tries to stop him and is shanghaied aboard Lee's junk for his trouble. Hoyt is freed, but Merryweather is forced to help Lee fight off a Chinese gunboat sent in pursuit. When they return safely to Hong Kong, Hoyt graciously bows out of his wife's life.
