Across the Pacific (1942)

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1. 

   Siskoid

   I know Across the Pacific refers to Japan, which loomed large even before Pearl Harbor when John Huston made the movie though it was released after, but starting their journey in Halifax, the characters never even got to dip a single toe in the Pacific. I want my money back! Or I might have made the same joke because there's so much here that's out of Casablanca (Rick and Sam, the trenchcoat, Bogey as the American askew of the war but secretly fighting it, a passionate romance...), but Pacific got there first by a few months. Don't worry, Bogart will play it again Sam in a third film, To Have and Have Not. But all jokes aside, Across the Pacific is an entertaining spy thriller that's borders on ahistory, suggesting a different attempt to start a Nippo-American war. If we do compare it to Casablanca, it's less romantic (Mary Astor is hard to get a handle on as a romantic partner, more snappy romcom than the lens-devouring Ingrid Bergman) and has more action (the model vehicles are silly, but thankfully rare). I do find it interesting that despite its period racism (the accents, awful comments about "Orientals", etc.) there is still at least on character who admires Japanese culture, and though Sydney Greenstreet's Bond villain is a bad dude, he still makes a good case for the country's values. So it's interesting that, just before the war with Japan (from the perspective of the production), they made a film that instructs American audiences on the subject in a non-propagandist way. Or as non-propagandist as Hollywood could get in a popcorn movie like this, since there's really no getting away from the casual racism and sexism. 3 years 11 months ago
2. 

   ClassicLady

   Mary Astor is brilliant here. She looks alive, animated and flirtatious. The dialog between her and Bogart is relaxed, witty, flirtatious and seems unscripted. Bogart is his usual master of the screen. This movie is very reminiscent of CASABLANCA visually. Sydney Greenstreet is here (all white suit included) and even Bogart's character name is Rick. It's tough to keep up with the plot toward the end with all the Japanese characters coming into play. But over all, it's a very good movie. 10 years 3 months ago

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