Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

ONCE AGAIN, WE are able to refer to our having seen this film "with the naked eye"; that being, at the local movie house in our neighborhood. In much of the same way that God intended us to see Baseball Under the Lights; he also wanted us to see Movies at the Show! IN OUR CASE, it was the Ogden Theatre at 63rd & Ashland, in Chicago's West Englewood neighborhood. We were about ten years old at the time and really didn't particularly like the film. This was probably and most likely due to the fact that a young kid would not understand the story, nor its relevance to recent history and current events.HAVING VIEWED THE same movie in recent times (more than once)and owing to the undeniable consequences of growing decidedly "long in the tooth", we have radically altered our opinion of BLOOD ALLEY.SO, UPON FURTHER review, we must proclaim this to be one of the better dramas of that middle 1950s. Its offbeat characters, desperate situations and the winning premise of a cynical, world weary boozer's finding both redemption and love are the makings of a dynamite winning combination.STRONG FEATURES OF the production were: realistic settings, great incidental music, fine color work and a plausible storyline that keeps one interested from start to end. Of course, all of these elements were skillfully blended by one Mr. William Wellman, Director extraordinaire.A large cast was assembled that featured many of the Chinese actors of Hollywood, including such names as Victor Sen Young. There are very many extras of Asian descent present; as well as some Caucasians masquerading as Chinese. Two names that stick out to us are Mike Mazurki and Anita Ekberg.ITS LARGE CAST features the main characters of Stars John Wayne and (Mrs. Betty Bogart, herself) Lauren Bacall. They do make for a very interesting, albeit quite offbeat, couple. We also learned that Mr. Robert Mitchum was fired off of the picture and replaced by the Duke; who incidentally produced it.AS ENJOYABLE AS Mr. Wayne and Miss Bacall in the picture, we can't help feeling that Mitchum was much more the real world counterpart of this crusty sea-dog of a Merchant Captain.

Two other reviewers discuss the politics of the time this movie came out – 1955. In a nutshell, the Red (Communist) Chinese government had come to power under Mao Tse Tung after the end of WW II. The Chinese then supported the North Korean communist efforts to overrun South Korea. The U.S. still had not recognized the communist government – which had won control of China by force over the smaller democratic forces of Chiang Kai-shek following WW II. Others have discussed John Wayne's patriotism – which some call "right wing." Wayne had strong feelings about his country. He used his film company, Batjac, to make some movies that espoused the American ideals of freedom, liberty and democracy. Although not as strongly as others, "Blood Alley" was one film that had such propaganda. This movie was based on a novel of the same name by Albert S. Fleischman, who also wrote the screenplay for the film. It's a simple story and plot, with a mixture of suspense, romance and action. The script and roles are not exceptional, but the film has two vehicles that drive it. The first is the overall plan for an entire village to escape Red China and flee to freedom in Hong Kong. The second is the mode for such flight – a paddle-wheel ferry. Indeed, the boat is the heart of the tale and biggest star of the film. The cast are all fine – John Wayne and Lauren Bacall make a nice team, and the supporting actors are very good. But, the settings, cast of very busy extras, and cinematography make this film exceptional. The filmmakers did an excellent job in giving us vivid scenes of the Chinese coast – having been filmed in San Francisco Bay. A 1955 review in the New York Times praised William Wellman for his direction. "But in filming his story at China Camp in San Rafael, near San Francisco, and in San Francisco Bay, Mr. Wellman appears to have approximated, in flavor at least, the authentic hilly Chinese locales as well as the reedy shores and choppy waters of the Formosa Strait. And he has added to that flavor by employing scores of Chinese-Americans as realistic 'extras.'"I should mention one scene that flaunted reality. I wonder that the filmmakers didn't notice this. Early in the film, the villagers are loading very large rocks or small boulders into their sampans. One shot shows two frail-appearing older men carrying a rock the size of a duffel bag. That is followed by shots of men passing rocks the size of bed pillows to other men in the boats. This all seems to be done with relative ease. I don't know if there may be some sort of light-weigh rocks in China, but having done considerable landscaping with large rocks, I would conclude that the men in the film were supermen, or that the rocks were fakes. Rocks the size of bed pillows would easily weigh 200 pounds or more. And one the size of a duffel bag would tip the scales at 500 pounds or more. Still, "Blood Alley" is a fine propaganda film that should entertain the whole family.

"i think they just want to evilize the Chinese communist government (they may be or not be, now their people are manufacturing for the world)"This, posted above, reflects the attitude of several commenters whose left-wing sphincters reflexively contracted the second they read the name "John Wayne". "Blood Alley" isn't great, and it isn't one of Wayne's best movies, but it's well-made and entertaining enough to be worthy of at least one viewing. As for "evilizing" the Chinese government, Mao Zedong and his regime did a fine job of doing that themselves when their actions resulted in the deaths of tens of millions of their own people, not to mention brutal imprisonment of non-criminals, slavery, stupid agricultural policies that resulted in mass starvation, etc., etc. It's no wonder the people in the film's village wanted to escape. But damn John Wayne and his conservative cronies for making it the background of an escapist adventure movie. Because after all, the death and oppression of countless innocent people that is the legacy of the communists in China is okay, because "now their people are manufacturing for the world", and who is the Duke to say otherwise?

This movie seems to get a bum rap in John Wayne histories as a trite anti communist movie, just pushing Wayne's right wing politics. Speaking as a long time leftie, it is worth noting the politics in China was not Marxist socialism at the time but a fascist dictatorship under Mao. And shocking as this may seem the film, while the communist are the heavies, is not anti-Chinese but is about the Duke taking a group of boat people to safety over terrible waterways in a rickety boat where they are received by a British soldier with the words "Refugees God bless them" Like that would happen today. More likely to spend the next 10 years in a refugee camp than get a welcome. A curious thing that a film made by someone who is often accused of being a right wing extremist is so 'liberal' in its response to refugee issues.The character is not quite in the usual Duke mode. Apparently they were negotiating with Bogart to do the role and then Duke had to step in and its a little like they did not change the role to make it a John Wayne role. There is a little bit of Casablanca 'I stick my neck out for nobody' before he comes to support the villagers wholeheartedly. And a little bit of African Queen bum. Wayne is a lot less heroic than usual, the bravest thing he does is steer the boat and save the heroine from being raped by using a gin with a bayonet. He even needs a couple of Chinese monks to help him when he can't punch out one small Chinese assassin. And the Chinese are the ones who do all the planning, work out how to get away and solve most of the problems.The costuming is interesting too. Wayne either looks ridiculous (intentionally) in European clothing 3 sizes too big for him, or wears a Chinese villager's costume that integrates him into the village.The film is beautifully shot, William Clothier is the photographer, and the old ferry they use sort of has an African Queen quality to her, a character in herself.Lauren Bacall is Lauren Bacall but at least she and Duke have some chemistry going. The kiss at the end looks like they are really connecting not like Duke is wishing to god he is somewhere else which can happen with some leading ladies. Some people have criticised the talking to "Baby" but I thought it was rather fun and a really clever way to get some quick exposition.The film does have European actors playing Chinese, including the buffoon, but most of the performances are pretty restrained and not caricatures. There is a little bit of fifties pigeon English, mimicked quite affectionately by Duke and Laureen Bacall but as the character that does it is the one that pulls Wayne's character into line, it does not grate like some fifties films that use it.All in all, Blood Alley is a film I had not seen for a long time but surprised myself how much I enjoyed it and found quite relevant in its presentation of the boat people/ refugee picture.