OUTPOST IN MALAYA / THE PLANTER'S WIFE

Jack Hawkins and Claudette Colbert

OUTPOST IN MALAYA (aka The Planter's Wife/1952). Director: Ken Annakin.

Liz Frazer (Claudette Colbert) and her husband, Jim (Jack Hawkins of Five Finger Exercise), own a rubber plantation in Malaya. Jim wants Liz to accompany their cute little boy, Mike (Peter Asher), when he goes to school in England, but Liz is sure Jim doesn't want her to return and she's not sure if she will  -- something seems to have gone out of their marriage. A bigger problem are the communist terrorists -- herein referred to as "bandits" -- who are attacking and murdering the people in the area. They wage a bloody attempted siege of the plantation in an exciting climax.

Anthony Steel with Colbert

Two years previously Colbert had filmed Three Came Home in which she played a wife imprisoned in a Japanese camp. Somehow it was decided she would again eschew a glamorous part in Outpost, in which her character had also been in a Japanese camp some years before this story begins. Frankly, I imagine most of Colbert's fans wanted to see her being witty and sophisticated, not firing guns and lobbing grenades (!) as she does in this movie. The amazing thing about Outpost is that -- until the climax and despite some of the dramatic things that happen -- the movie seems quite dull for the most part, the most exciting scene having to do with a fight between a cobra and a mongoose named Mr. Mangles! Things might have percolated more if Colbert's wife had had a steamy affair with handsome Captain Dobson (Anthony Steel of Another Man's Poison), but, alas, nothing like this ever develops.

little Peter Asher

However, the last twenty minutes of the movie, detailing the attack on and defense of the plantation, almost make up for the lethargy of the first hour. It's not just the events that transpire, it's as if somebody took over from director Ken Annakin and decided to actually direct the movie. As for Colbert, she acquits herself well, although there must have been times when she wondered what the hell she was doing there. Jack Hawkins is also good, but he and Colbert don't have very much chemistry. Peter Asher and Jeremy Spenser [The Prince and the Showgirl] as Mike's buddy Mat are talented and effective child performers. Anthony Steel does have chemistry with Colbert and is much better than expected. Ram Gopal was introduced in this film and plays Nair, an associate of the Frazer's. There are also some good performances from Asian actors in supporting roles as well.

Verdict: Give Colbert a cocktail and some good dialogue and keep her out of jungles! **1/2.