Betrayed (1954)

As someone working on creative and interesting plotting, I saw this intrigue movie as outstanding. I had to stay and watch just to find out who the 2-way spy was: was it Turner, was it Mature, oh my could it be Clark? I had no problem with the directing; I thought the last scene with Turner looking at Gable, searching his face for signs of hate or love was good.I had a problem with the one word title, although it was relevant; it did seem to point to one character as the good guy, so it was misleading if that was the intent. (I don't think this is a spoiler, let me know). I was glad the movie was in color; usually I prefer black and white on the older movies, however, the scenery et all was great in color.

while i enjoyed seeing this film at least a dozen time,my memory always take me back to the first time i saw the in 1955 and it was the first war film i was allowed to watch,i fell in love with Lana turner and thought victor mature was a cad, well i was young and the actors were very convincing in their role. however my main comment is more like a question.., how can i obtain a recording of the song johnny come home? all i Learned from my searches that the voice belongs to that wonderful Diana Coupland, and no end of searches have led me to finding the song on the internet.to me the song gave the movie an atmosphere of what war is all about. but on the whole, its a movie i will watch whenever it is showing.

"Betrayed" stars Clark Gable in his last film for MGM, after which his contract was not renewed. I love the way these studios managed to forget the very people who made them great and kept them solvent during some hard years, but there you go. Gable deserved better for his last film - though it is beautifully photographed in color on location and has a star cast, he doesn't really have much of a role.With Gable is another star on unsure footing at MGM - Lana Turner, who by 1954 had committed the unforgivable sin of being over 30 and therefore on her way out as far as Dore Schary was concerned. Victor Mature and Louis Calhern round out the all-star cast. Turner, as the widowed Carla van Oven, is sent into Holland as a liaison between a resistance fighter, The Scarf (Mature) and the British. When it becomes apparent that someone is betraying the resistance, Deventer (Gable), who trained Carla and fell in love with her, begins to suspect she's spying for the Nazis.The story gets a little confusing but all in all, it's fairly routine stuff, and all these actors have appeared in stronger vehicles. It is lovely to look at, however. And Turner, as a brunette, looks beautiful and, though it's wartime, has some glamor moments as well. Gable at 53 was probably a little past it for his role, but he has a commanding presence. Mature does a good job as the wild resistance fighter.Clark Gable and Turner both gave MGM their best years. "Betrayed" turned out to be an apt title for both of them.

Despite good performances from Lana Turner, Clark Gable and Victor Mature (in a colorful role as "The Scarf"), and some pretty location photography of Holland (filmed in Eastmancolor), there are script problems that render BETRAYED a contrived spy tale about the Dutch underground resistance to Nazis. As one reviewer noted, "at times it is hard to tell who Clark Gable, Lana Turner and Victor Mature are spying for" -- and the revelation that there is a traitor among them comes as no great surprise.Still, the story moves at a fair pace, Lana looks gorgeous even with a brunette hairdo, and the aging Clark Gable gives a quietly underplayed performance in his final role at Metro. Victor Mature comes off best in a colorful pivotal role. Wilfred Hyde-White, Louis Calhern and Roland Culver are wasted in supporting roles.All in all, an average spy melodrama bolstered by some fine location photography.For more about the film and Lana Turner, see my article on LANA TURNER: DANGEROUS CURVES in the Spring Issue 2002 of FILMS OF THE GOLDEN AGE magazine.