Clevercell Very disappointing...

Unlimitedia Sick Product of a Sick System

ChanBot i must have seen a different film!!

Fatma Suarez The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

bkoganbing Dick Powell's a detective again in To The Ends Of The Earth though his name here isn't Richard Diamond or Philip Marlowe. Instead he's what we would now call a DEA agent though that agency didn't exist back in those days. He works for the Treasury's Narcotics Enforcement Unit and a mystery involving a really large stash of opium takes him around the world and literally To The Ends Of The Earth in solving it.The film is narrated by Powell and this Columbia film is very similar in style to those 20th Century Fox documentary classics The House On 92nd Street and The Street With No Name from Henry Hathaway. The director is Robert Stevenson who is far more familiar to viewers for his later exclusive work for Walt Disney studios in such things as Old Yeller and Mary Poppins. You can hardly believe the same guy directed those items as well as To The Ends Of The Earth.Powell almost circumnavigates the globe, starting out in San Francisco and then going to Shanghai, Cairo, Beirut, Havana, and finally New York in pursuit of an international narcotics smuggling gang. The story takes place in the pre-World War II years while Japan occupied Manchuria. The most ridiculous part of the film is the notion that the Japanese are behind the opium trade as part of their war policy though the gang is certainly international enough.What makes the film relevant for today is the plea for international cooperation to put an end to the drug trade. In fact this film was one of the to even talk about drug addiction, a problem not mentionable under The Code. Opium dependence knows no borders, respects no nationalities.The film will also have a surprise ending that you might not expect coming. The only hint is a bit showing a portrait of who turns out to be the chief villain. The artist's interpretation of said villain screams out who's behind it all.Powell gets good support from Signe Hasso, Ludwig Donath, Vladimir Sokoloff and Maylia in telling roles. To The Ends Of The Earth is one of the best films Dick Powell made in his post musical period, don't miss it if you can.

KEITH-LANCASTER 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.

tlg501 In some ways, it is very much ahead of its time. In the first few minutes, you'll know you are watching a very well done movie. The scene where the slaves go overboard and it motivates Dick Powell to track down the murderer is enough to get you interested. Every time, Powell gets nearer something happens to sidetrack him. The predications about drugs and South America are extraordinary, given that over 50 years has elapsed. The way of smuggling the drugs is very clever. I recommend this movie because of its suspense and its ability to draw you into it.

wkephart I have been looking for this picture since I first saw it when it was released in 1948. It impressed me then with the world wide scope of its story of opium smuggling and I had been anxious to see it again. I had thought about it many times over the years and knew that it was not on video and did not know where I would find it. By accident I found it listed in the movies on Movie Plex. It apparently had been show previously as there were 21 votes for it so at least 21 others had seen it. Seeing it the second time after all these years was just as enjoyable as the first time.