Stopover Tokyo

Last updated
Stopover Tokyo
Stopover Tokyo Poster.jpg
Theatrical poster
Directed by Richard L. Breen
Written byRichard L. Breen
Walter Reisch
Based onnovel by John P. Marquand
Produced byWalter Reisch
Starring Robert Wagner
Joan Collins
Edmond O'Brien
Ken Scott
Cinematography Charles G. Clarke
Edited by Marjorie Fowler
Music by Paul Sawtell
Color process Color by DeLuxe
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release date
  • December 26, 1957 (1957-12-26)
Running time
100 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1,055,000 [1]

Stopover Tokyo is a 1957 American film noir crime film directed by Richard L. Breen and starring Robert Wagner, Joan Collins, Edmond O'Brien and Ken Scott. Filmed in Japan in CinemaScope, the film is set in Tokyo and follows a US counterintelligence agent working to foil a communist assassination plot.

Contents

The film is based very loosely on the final Mr. Moto novel by John P. Marquand. The biggest change is that Mr. Moto is entirely cut from the film.

It was the sole feature film directed by Breen, an Academy Award-winning screenwriter.

Plot

US Intelligence Agent Mark Fannon (Robert Wagner) is sent to Tokyo on a routine courier mission but soon uncovers communist George Underwood's (Edmond O'Brien) plot to assassinate the American High Commissioner (Larry Keating).

While there he meets Welsh receptionist (Joan Collins), in whom fellow agent Tony Barrett (Ken Scott) has a romantic interest. This causes animosity between the two.

An attempt is made on Mark's life in a steam room and his local contact, Nobika, is assassinated. Lt. Afumi of the Tokyo police department escorts Tina and Mark to the scene of Nobika's death and shows them a note he found in Nobika's pocket.

Mark and Tina are detained by police. Mark phones Tony in Formosa to inquire about the name of the village in which Nobika lived. Mark goes there and tries to find classified information concealed in magazines. He meets Nobika's daughter, Koko.

Cast

Original novel

By 1956, it had been nearly fifteen years since Marquand had written a Moto novel. He received an offer to write one from Stuart Rose, the editor of The Saturday Evening Post , who offered Marquand $5,000 to travel to Japan and an advance of $75,000. [2]

He decided to write a new one because "I wanted to see whether or not I was still able to write a mystery, one of the most interesting forms of literary craftsmanship, if not art, that exists." [3]

Marquand visited Japan for a month and wrote up the story towards the end of 1956. Mr Moto was not the actual hero of the novel – that role went to secret agent John Rhyce, who is sent to Tokyo to combat a communist plot along with fellow agent Ruth Bogart. [4]

The novel was serialized in the Post from 24 November 1956 to 12 January 1957 under the title "Rendezvous in Tokyo". The magazine's editors did not like the story's unhappy ending but Marquand insisted upon it. The novel itself was published in early 1957. [2] [5] It was a best seller and was, on the whole, well received, with a critic at The New York Times calling it "superlative". [3] [6]

The novel would later be re-issued under the titles Right You Are, Mr Moto and The Last Case of Mr Moto. [7]

Production

20th Century Fox, which made the original Moto movies starring Peter Lorre, bought the film rights to the story in March 1956, prior to publication. [8] Sam Engel was originally going to produce and William Holden and Jennifer Jones were mentioned as possible stars. [9]

The movie ended up being the first of a proposed series of movies from writers Richard L. Breen and Walter Reisch; Breen was to make his directorial debut and Reisch would produce. Robert Stack was meant to play the lead but refused the role because he did not want to go to Japan. [10] Stack was suspended by the studio and the role given to Robert Wagner. [11]

Cinematographer Charles G. Clarke made expansive use of location shooting in Kyoto, a sacred Shinto city which was only lightly bombed in World War II and taken off the nuclear bombing target list (from its original top listing) due to the efforts of Henry Stimson, who argued for the preservation of its cultural assets. <Cary, Otis>

Actor Ken Scott was injured in a scene when Edmond O'Brien shot a prop gun at him and a blank cartridge hit his face. There was no serious damage. [12]

Fox was so impressed with ten-year-old star Reiko Oyama, the studio signed her to a long-term contract. [13]

Reception

Collins and Wagner promoted the film with a nationwide publicity tour. [14] However, it was not particularly successful at the box office.

The Chicago Tribune review praised the location photography but said the film "starts suspensefully, but ends limply." [15] The Los Angeles Times liked the scenery which it thought "helps overcome somewhat routine plot development" but felt Wagner "goes about his spying work energetically although it is thought that this type of character isn't exactly his cup of tea." [16]

Breen and Resich were later reported as working on another film for Wagner, The Far Alert, about NATO naval flyers. [17] However this film was never made.

A year after the movie came out Marquand told The New York Times that:

Mr Moto was my literary disgrace. I wrote about him to get shoes for the baby. I don't say I didn't have a pleasant time writing about him and he returned in Stopover Tokyo but I don't think I'll ever meet him again. Moto was an entirely different piece of writing from a so-called serious novel. He really became famous when they took him up in the movies. In book form he has never really sold well – never more than 5,000 to 6,000 copies. I can't say why people remember him, except they must remember the serials and pictures. [18]

In 1959, Wagner disparaged the film:

When I started at Fox in 1950 they were making sixty five pictures a year. Now they're lucky if they make thirty. There was a chance to get some training in B pictures. Then TV struck. Everything went big and they started sticking me into Cinemascope spectacles. One day, smiling Joe Juvenile with no talent was doing a role intended for John Wayne. That was in a dog called Stopover Tokyo. I've really had to work to keep up. [19]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John P. Marquand</span> American novelist

John Phillips Marquand was an American writer. Originally best known for his Mr. Moto spy stories, he achieved popular success and critical respect for his satirical novels, winning a Pulitzer Prize for The Late George Apley in 1938. One of his abiding themes was the confining nature of life in America's upper class and among those who aspired to join it. Marquand treated those whose lives were bound by these unwritten codes with a characteristic mix of respect and satire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mr. Moto</span> Fictional Japanese secret agent

Mr. Moto is a fictional Japanese secret agent created by the American author John P. Marquand. He appeared in six novels by Marquand published between 1935 and 1957. Marquand initially created the character for the Saturday Evening Post, which was seeking stories with an Asian hero after the death of Charlie Chan's creator Earl Derr Biggers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Stack</span> American actor (1919–2003)

Robert Stack was an American actor and television host. Known for his deep voice and commanding presence, he appeared in over forty feature films. He starred in the ABC television series The Untouchables (1959–1963), for which he won the 1960 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Series, and later hosted/narrated the true-crime series Unsolved Mysteries (1987–2002). He was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the film Written on the Wind (1956). Later in his career, Stack was known for his deadpan comedy roles that lampooned his dramatic on-screen persona, most notably as Captain Rex Kramer in Airplane! (1980).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeffrey Hunter</span> American actor (1926–1969)

Jeffrey Hunter was an American film and television actor and producer known for his roles in films such as The Searchers and King of Kings. On television, Hunter is known for his 1965 role as Captain Christopher Pike in the original pilot episode of Star Trek: The Original Series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edmond O'Brien</span> American actor (1915–1985)

Eamon Joseph O'Brien was an American actor of stage, screen, and television, and film director. His career spanned almost 40 years, and he won one Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Joseph M. Newman was an American film director most famous for his 1955 film This Island Earth. His credits include episodes of The Twilight Zone and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rory Calhoun</span> American actor (1922–1999)

Rory Calhoun was an American film and television actor. He starred in numerous Westerns in the 1950s and 1960s, and appeared in supporting roles in films such as How to Marry a Millionaire (1953).

<i>The Last Voyage</i> 1960 film by Andrew L. Stone

The Last Voyage is a 1960 Metrocolor American disaster film starring Robert Stack, Dorothy Malone, George Sanders, and Edmond O'Brien.

<i>The Wayward Bus</i> (film) 1957 film directed by Victor Vicas

The Wayward Bus is a 1957 American drama film directed by Victor Vicas and starring Joan Collins, Jayne Mansfield, Dan Dailey and Rick Jason. Released by 20th Century-Fox, the film was based on the 1947 novel of the same name by John Steinbeck.

<i>The Sun Also Rises</i> (1957 film) 1957 film by Henry King

The Sun Also Rises is a 1957 American drama film adaptation of the 1926 Ernest Hemingway novel of the same name directed by Henry King. The screenplay was written by Peter Viertel and it starred Tyrone Power, Ava Gardner, Mel Ferrer, and Errol Flynn. Much of it was filmed on location in France and Spain as well as Mexico in Cinemascope and color by Deluxe. A highlight of the film is the famous "running of the bulls" in Pamplona, Spain and two bullfights.

<i>Think Fast, Mr. Moto</i> 1937 film by Norman Foster

Think Fast, Mr. Moto is a 1937 American mystery film directed by Norman Foster and featuring a mysterious Japanese detective named Mr. Moto. It is the first of eight films in the Mr. Moto series, all based on the character Mr. Moto created by John P. Marquand. The film stars Peter Lorre as the title character, Virginia Field, Thomas Beck and Sig Ruman. Mr. Moto works to stop a secret smuggling operation.

<i>Thank You, Mr. Moto</i> (film) 1937 American film

Thank You, Mr. Moto is a 1937 American mystery film directed by Norman Foster. It is the second in a series of eight films starring Peter Lorre as Mr. Moto. It was based on the novel of the same name by the detective's creator, John P. Marquand. Mr. Moto battles murderous treasure hunters for priceless ancient scrolls which reveal the location of the long-lost tomb of Genghis Khan.

<i>Mysterious Mr. Moto</i> 1938 film by Norman Foster

Mysterious Mr. Moto, produced in 1938 by Twentieth Century Fox, is the fifth in a series of eight films starring Peter Lorre as Mr. Moto.

<i>Thank You, Mr. Moto</i> (novel) Book by John P. Marquand

Thank You, Mr. Moto, was originally published in serial form in the Saturday Evening Post from February 8 to March 14, 1936, this novel was first published in book form in 15 May 1936.

Mr. Moto's Last Warning is the sixth in a series of eight films starring Peter Lorre as Mr. Moto.

<i>Lancer Spy</i> 1937 film

Lancer Spy is a 1937 American thriller film directed by Gregory Ratoff and starring Dolores Del Rio and George Sanders. Its plot concerns an Englishman who impersonates a German officer and a female German spy who falls in love with him.

<i>Mr. Moto Is So Sorry</i>

Mr. Moto Is So Sorry was originally published in serial form in the Saturday Evening Post from July 2 to August 13, 1938, and was first published in book form in 1938. It is the fourth of six Mr. Moto novels and can also be found in the omnibus Mr. Moto's Three Aces published in 1939.

<i>Mr. Moto Takes a Chance</i> 1938 film by Norman Foster

Mr. Moto Takes a Chance is the fourth in a series of eight films starring Peter Lorre as Mr. Moto, although it was the second one actually filmed, following Think Fast, Mr. Moto. Its release was delayed until after production of Thank You, Mr. Moto and Mr Moto's Gamble.

Your Turn, Mr. Moto is a 1935 spy novel by John P. Marquand and the debut novel in the Mr. Moto series.

References

  1. Solomon, p251
  2. 1 2 The Complete Mr. Moto Film Phile: A Casebook by Howard M. Berlin Wildside Press, 2005 p 27-28, accessed 9 March 2015
  3. 1 2 ANTHONY BOUCHER (Jan 20, 1957). "Welcome, Mr. Moto". The New York Times. p. 232.
  4. Butcher, Fanny. (Jan 20, 1957). "John P. Marquand's Mr. Moto Returns in a New Spellbinder". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. b1.
  5. "Books and Authors: Marquand Thriller". New York Times. Dec 5, 1956. p. 37.
  6. HARVEY BREIT (Feb 17, 1957). "IN AND OUT OF BOOKS: Change Goodby Takes Winners". The New York Times. p. BR5.
  7. The Mr Moto Page accessed 9 March 2015
  8. THOMAS M. PRYOR Special to The (Mar 26, 1956). "CONTRACT RESUME IS SENT TO ACTORS: Screen Guild Pact Provides Pay Rises for All, Extends Jurisdiction to Canada New Holiday Provision Of Local Origin". New York Times. p. 35.
  9. Hopper, Hedda (Apr 13, 1956). "Sam Engel Seeks Holden, Jennifer Jones for New Film". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. b8.
  10. Times, Thomas M. Pryor Special To the New York (18 April 1957). "CASTING TROUBLES BESET FOX FILMS; Dailey and Dana Wynter Give up Roles in Wald Pictures-- Robert Stack Suspended (Published 1957)". The New York Times.
  11. OSCAR GODBOUT (Apr 19, 1957). "FRED ZINNEMANN SIGNS MISS KERR: Director Acquires Star for 'Sundowners,' His First Independent Film Effort Wagner Replaces Stack". The New York Times. p. 16.
  12. "Ex-Screen Star Alice Lake Jailed on Drunk Charge". Los Angeles Times. June 1, 1957. p. 3.
  13. Schallert, Edwin (June 28, 1957). "Japan Shirley Temple Contracted; Canadian Story Will Star More". Los Angeles Times. p. B9.
  14. "'Stopover Tokyo' Stars Going on Publicity Tours". Los Angeles Times. Nov 1, 1957. p. B10.
  15. TINEE, MAE. (Nov 8, 1957). "Film Keyed to Beauty of Japan: "STOPOVER: TOKYO"". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. a5.
  16. Scott, John L. (Nov 8, 1957). "'Stopover Tokyo' Tale of Intrigue in Orient". Los Angeles Times. p. A7.
  17. Hopper, Hedda (Sep 30, 1957). "Looking at Hollywood: Film to Co-Star Murphy, Borgnine". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. b14.
  18. LEWIS NICHOLS NEWBURYPORT, MASS. (Aug 3, 1958). "The World of John P. Marquand". The New York Times. p. BR4.
  19. THOMAS McDONALD HOLLYWOOD. (June 14, 1959). "PRESENTING A HAPPY 'ACT': WAGNER AND WOOD". The New York Times. p. X7.