I gave it a 7.5 out of 10

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Every time I looked to see how much time was left I'd say - dammit. Wish it could have gone on longer. Not sure why this one isn't more well known. Opens in that semi-documentary style, but after that it turns into a top-notch film. Story is complex enough without being confusing, entire cast is good. As much as I enjoyed Powell's been-there-done-that kinda attitude in "Murder, My Sweet", I like him better here, where it's more subtle, plus I like how his character is able to show a little more genuine surprise as the story unfolds. Hate reviews that give away stuff, and I don't mean just give away the important stuff, I mean give away anything. Totally stubborn about that, more than anyone I know. Sorry, not gonna say anything about this plot except that the title sums it up well enough. Much better than most 40s-50s international intrigue BS like "Beat the Devil" or "Rope of Sand". If you can slog through that crap you need to watch this. Most everything I watch these days are old crime thrillers, and as much as I enjoy them, a lot don't hold up well over time. This is an exception, no question. I hardly ever write reviews here - honestly, I don't even know if I've even done one, that's how much I care about putting them down. Felt compelled to in this case.

***SPOILERS*** Very probably the very first serious movie coming out of Hollywood about illegal drugs and how their being being smuggled into the USA has Dick Powell as FBN, Federal Bureau of Narcotics, Agent Michael Borrows going as the movies title suggests to the ends of the earth to stop a boat load of opium from being smuggled into New York Harbor. It's Agent Borrows shock of seeing some 100 Chinese coolies thrown overboard off the Japanese freighter Kira Maru that sent him on his course of stopping the opium shipment that the ship was involved with from being successful even at the cost of his own life!Traveling to far off Shanghai then Cairo as well as the Middle East, Palestine Lebanon and Syria, Agent Barrow finally got some results in pre-Castro Havana Cuba where the shipment of illegal Opium was on it's last leg on its voyage to New York City. While tracking the drugs down Agent Borrows got involved with Ann Grant, Signe Hasso, and her ward of the state pretty Chinese teenager Sho Pan Wu, Maylia, who's parents were killed in China in a Japanese bombing raid on their village. It's Ann that Agent Borrows is a bit suspicious of in that she's not straight with him about what she's doing Shanghai China and the mysterious circumstances of her husbands, an irrigation engineer, death!It later comes out that Mr.Grant was involved in the planting and hiding, under a bed of roses, a field of poppies, the plant that Opium comes from, in Southern Egypt! This is later confirmed by the Egyptian owner of the "rose garden" Binda Sha, Fritz Libner, who when exposed killed himself by jumping off a cliff! The movie finally gets to the point to how the Opium was processed and hidden in the ships, docked in Havana Harbor, kitchen that's to be secretly smuggled into New York City under the cover of darkness or for a better word garbage!***SPOILERS*** It's by then that Agent Borrows gets a bead to who's the big boss of the drug smuggling operation. Not really knowing that Agent Borrors is on to him or her the drug kingpin drops his guard which gives Borrows the chance to get the jump on him and his drug smuggling, who by then were almost all dead or behind bars, colleagues! The final few tense filled minutes of the movie has Agent Borrows take a chance in letting the head of the drug smuggling operation take a shot on him just to prove that he's the one in charge! It took nerves of steel on Agent Borrows part but it worked to the shock, in finding out who the head man was, of everybody watching as well as in the cast the movie!P.S There's also in "To The Ends of the Earth" in a number of newsreel clips the head of the FBN Harry J. Anslinger who together with the assistance of his crime fighting government agency made the making of the movie possible.

Fast-paced, tautly told tale of international opium smuggling in the pre-WWII period. Despite the docu-drama format (from the files of the US Treasury Dep't, etc.), police procedure manages not to get in the way. And a crackling good story it is, with a sneaky twist ending. Anti-Drug agent Barrows (Powell) has got to unravel an elaborate drug operation that takes him around the globe. On the way, he encounters all sorts of suspicious characters and risky situations. The studio (Columbia) does a good job mimicking exotic locales to create an appropriate atmosphere for the dedicated Barrows.So, who's the man behind the illegal operation? Well, for one thing, we know he's an agent of imperial Japan (circa,1935) since their army seeks to pacify a conquered Manchuria with loads of the deadening drug—(note: I wish the prologue stated whether this wicked scheme is actual historical fact or not). Anyhow, the premise provides employment opportunity for a host of Hollywood's shady characters, including Hoyt, Hasso, and two favorite Nazis, Triesault and Donath. So there's intrigue a-plenty.However, I'm not sure I buy the last leg of the smuggling operation since it seems so risky, depending as it does on exact timing in a big ocean. Nonetheless, the various ruses are cleverly conceived, although at times the various in's and out's may be a little hard to follow. And you may need a scorecard to keep up with the shifting cast of characters. But that early scene of jettisoning illegal cargo is one-of-a-kind and about as cold-blooded as any film of that era.(In passing-- a recurring theme is international cooperation in behalf of mankind, while the final shot is an optimistic one of the United Nations building. A year later, and I suspect the menace would have shifted to the Soviets with a much darker outlook.) Still and all, this is one of the best docu-dramas from a time when Hollywood appeared to be doing gratis pr work for the feds.

This film is great from start to finish as it outlines the ingenious methods used by the drug traders. Some harrowing scenes as the Chinese slaves (being smuggled to pick poppies) are disposed of. A freighter of doubtful origin is spotted off the U.S. coastline. The coastguard investigates and as it draws near, the captain of the coast guard cutter is witness to a most appalling scene. The slaves beingsmuggled are underneath a large tarp on the deck of the freighter. The captain of the ship, realising the consequences of his human cargo, decides to remove the evidence. The slaves are shackled to the anchor chain which is now released into the ocean. The fate of the slaves is sealed and the proof of the illegal cargo is removed. The matter is reported and from then until the end of the film, it is non stop action and intrigue. Dick Powell is the narcotics agent assigned to the task of tracking down the drug growers and dealers. It is a very involved film with lots of surprises (do not blink). A great twist at the end.