Tonight's Movie: Tangier (1946) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

The terrific Dark Side of Cinema Blu-ray sets keep coming from Kino Lorber, most recently Volumes IX and X.

I'll be reviewing the films in both sets, along with completing outstanding reviews from prior sets. So many great Kino releases, so little time...!

TANGIER (1946) is part of Volume IX, and while I recognize this movie may not be every film fan's cup of tea, I loved it. A terrific cast in an interesting, atmospheric postwar spy thriller -- what's not to like?

The film stars Maria Montez, attempting to jumpstart her career at Universal Pictures following the previous year's release of the last of her six films opposite Jon Hall. Happily, all of the Montez-Hall films are also available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber.

In TANGIER Montez plays Rita, a nightclub dancing sensation there who is hunting for the escaped Nazi sympathizer who tortured and killed her father and brothers during the war.

The gorgeous Rita juggles several admirers: American newspaperman Paul Kenyon (Robert Paige of CAN'T HELP SINGING); courtly Col. Jose Artiego (Preston Foster); and her dancing partner Ramon (Kent Taylor), who is in turn loved by Dolores (Louise Allbritton).

All parties battle for control of a large diamond which Rita believes will lead her to the man who killed her family.

The fine cast also includes Sabu, who sings several songs, and Reginald Denny, along with Charles Judels, J. Edward Bromberg, Joan Shawlee, Rebel Randall, and Erno Verebes.

This is admittedly a "B" film, and it's not perfect; Paige is fairly colorless, and I actually think the more charismatic Taylor, whom I've always liked, would have worked better in his role as the reporter. The movie also makes extremely obvious use of dance doubles, which is a bit confusing on top of a plot device involving a wigged Allbritton masquerading as Montez on the dance floor. (I found a fun comment on Montez's dance double, Crystal White, by her niece at Letterboxd.)

That all said, the movie has a great "look" and atmosphere -- some have compared it to a "low rent" CASABLANCA -- and a good story. I found it a thoroughly enjoyable 74 minutes thanks to the talents of people like Montez, Taylor, Foster, Allbritton, and Denny. This is the kind of movie I will often find more entertaining than a vaunted classic. It's simply good fun.

It's a shame that Montez's career stalled out and then she passed away unexpectedly at a young age, as I quite enjoy her. I at least have some more of her films ahead of me to enjoy for the first time, including PIRATES OF MONTEREY (1947) with Rod Cameron and Gilbert Roland.

George Waggner directed TANGIER, filmed in very attractive black and white by Woody Bredell. The excellent costumes were designed by Travis Banton.

The Kino Lorber Blu-ray, from a new 2K master, looks and sounds terrific. Blu-ray extras include the trailer; two additional trailers for other films available from Kino Lorber; and a commentary track by a name which is new to me, Felicia Feaster.

The other two films in this set are LADY ON A TRAIN (1945), a favorite Deanna Durbin film, and TAKE ONE FALSE STEP (1949) with William Powell, Shelley Winters, and Marsha Hunt.

Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray.

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