Before he would kick off one of the most enduring film franchises with 1962’s James Bond debut Dr. No, director Terence Young (Corridor Of Mirrors) would conduct something of a dry run for globe-trotting exploits with 1957’s MGM action-thriller Action Of The Tiger. It might be considered something of a blessing for cinema that he did, as it is likely where the director first saw the raw talent of eventual leading man Sean Connery, albeit in a much smaller role. Instead, the powers that be placed the leading man role onto the shoulders of Van Johnson (In The Good Old Summertime), a performer who always seemed to get by on good looks and not much else. This resulted in a nicely crafted adventure with quite a bit of flair in the production but a lack of excitement in the performances. This forgotten feature is one begging to be watched by classic dads on a Saturday afternoon. It is nothing really special, but it is just entertaining enough to capture your attention.
Johnson plays Carson, a prototypical Han Solo figure tied to Earth as a contraband smuggler and captain of his own ship. One day Carson is approached by wealthy French heiress Tracy (Martine Carol) to request his help with getting into the dangerous Albanian territory to rescue her blind brother Henri (Gustavo Rojo), who is being held as a political prisoner. To say that her stunning beauty has no part in swaying him to agree to this mission would be erroneous, but he is not quite prepared for the obstacles that will stand in his way between himself and a happy ending. The adventure takes us to some truly stunning locations that somewhat trick the viewers into forgetting exactly how much danger is around each corner. Getting into the country and locating her brother is not the most difficult endeavor, but getting out alive along with some pitiful orphans proves to be an ordeal. With the help of the bandit Trifon (Herbert Lom, The Dead Zone), Carson and his crew might just make it.
In terms of adventure and intrigue, this movie delivers the goods with copious amounts of gunfire and tragic losses incurred. Young shows off the skills that would keep him employed in the Bond franchise for many years with impressive set pieces framed by stunning cinematography from Desmond Dickinson. Where the movie fails a bit is grounding the story with a strong central performance from Johnson. The man is pleasant to look at, but he radiates nearly zero charisma as a protagonist and shows no signs of chemistry with the lovely Carol. Connery is relegated to playing the role of a crew member of Carson’s ship who indulges in some very problematic exploits with Tracy. This movie’s casual dismissal of sexual assault is very eyebrow-raising, but this is what you often get with movies from this time period. The film’s target audience these days can likely overlook some of the more obvious drawbacks of the narrative for the very obvious action adventure. It has enough going for it to keep your attention, but the lack of a stronger male lead makes it clear why this one is not held in higher esteem.
Video Quality
Warner Archive presents Action Of The Tiger with a handsome new 1080p master transfer in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio sourced from a 2K scan of the interpositive. Warner Archive once again delivers a stunning presentation from the elements that were available. One of the standout aspects of the film is the earthy colors within the landscapes and against the bright blue sky that practically leap off the screen in the way old Hollywood did so well. The black levels are very deep with impeccable stability throughout. Detail and clarity is off the charts with the beautiful, natural film grain intact and well resolved. There does not appear to be any digital nuisances such as compression artifacts, banding or any other such issues. The film exhibits no signs of any damage or debris, which is typical of the magic that the workers at Warner Archive pull off. This presentation offers a lovely viewing experience from start to finish.
Audio Quality
Warner Archive has delivered a new DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio presentation that is incredibly pleasing. Dialogue comes through clearly from beginning to end without being stepped on by the score or sound effects. This track also effortlessly handles all of the action elements that pop up to punctuate this story with nothing ever sounding blown out. Every single element seems clearly defined and in balance as everything is presented with a nice fidelity. Warner Archive has provided a top notch audio presentation that does not exhibit any glaring signs of age-related wear-and-tear. The disc also comes with optional English (SDH) subtitles.
Special Features
- Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided here.
Final Thoughts
Action Of The Tiger is a passable action adventure with some stunning cinematography, but it lacks a male lead captivating enough to keep you glued to the screen. Terence Young does a top notch job of bringing all of the technical elements together just right, he just needed a stronger leading man. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray featuring a stellar A/V presentation and next to nothing in the way of special features. If you are a fan of the adventure drama and need something new, this is a decent use of your time.
Action Of The Tiger can be purchased directly through the Warner Archive Amazon Store or various other online retailers.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
