Affair in Trinidad (1952) (NTSC)

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General		Extras
Category	Drama	None
Rating
Year Of Production	1952
Running Time	98:03
RSDL / Flipper	No/No	Cast & Crew
Start Up	?
Region Coding	1,2,3,4,5,6	Directed By	Vincent Sherman
Studio Distributor	ViaVision	Starring	Rita Hayworth Glenn Ford Alexander Scourby Torin Thatcher Valeria Bettis Steven Geray George Voskovec Karel Stepanek
Case	?
RPI	?	Music	George Duning

     American Steve Emery (Glenn Ford) flies into the British colony of Trinidad to meet his artist brother only to find that his brother has died in mysterious circumstances and that his brother’s widow Chris (Rita Hayworth), a singer at the nightclub run by Wittol (Steven Geray), seems to be overly friendly with the wealthy and shady Max Fabian (Alexander Scourby). What the audience knows, and Steve doesn’t, is that Max is suspected by the island police of being both a security risk and of involvement in his brother’s death so Inspector Smythe (Torin Thatcher) has asked Chris to get close to Max to try to find out what he is up to. Things get complicated when Steve falls for Chris, and she him, but Chris is prohibited by the police from telling Steve what she is doing, so misunderstandings and jealousy arises. The arrival at Max’s house of a German scientist who had been involved in the Nazi V2 rocket program, Dr. Hanz Huebling (George Voskovec), his wife Veronica (Valeria Bettis) and an agent for a foreign country (Karel Stepanek) brings matters to a climax.

     Affair in Trinidad was Rita Hayworth’s return to filmmaking after four years of absence during an unhappy marriage to playboy Prince Aly Khan. For her return Columbia deliberately evoked her earlier success in Gilda, perhaps Hayworth’s most iconic role. Like that film, Affair in Trinidad is a film noir set in an exotic location, filmed in black and white and co-starring Glenn Ford. Indeed, the camera move when Rita is introduced in Affair in Trinidad, her head moving upward into frame with hair flying, is very reminiscent of her introduction in Gilda. Another connection is that her gowns are again designed by Jean Louis, who had designed “that” classic gown in Gilda; indeed, he received an Oscar nomination for his costume design in Affair in Trinidad, but didn’t win.

     In their previous film together, and her last before Rita left Hollywood to get married The Loves of Carmen, neither Ford nor Hayworth were particularly convincing. In Affair in Trinidad they are on much firmer ground, Ford as the tough guy hero and Hayworth, while appearing to be a femme fatale, is in reality no such thing. Ford and Hayworth by this time had appeared in four films together, the first The Lady in Question in 1940 (the fifth and last was a decade later, The Money Trap (1965)) and the chemistry between the two is excellent. Affair in Trinidad is rather more of an espionage thriller that a film noir, although it has many of the noir trappings; light and shadows, a nefarious villain, a convoluted plot, betrayals, an all knowing servant character played by Juanita Moore to push the plot along, the type of shifty character played here by Steven Geray that Peter Lorre often played, and a tough guy hero who finally figures it out.

     Director Vincent Sherman also directed films such as Adventures of Don Juan (1948) with Errol Flynn and Lone Star (1952) with Clark Gable and in Affair in Trinidad he does a solid job of keeping things moving along through the convoluted plotting. Indeed, Affair in Trinidad loses no time at all in reintroducing the movie going public to Hayworth in a dance and song (her voice dubbed by Jo Ann Greer) routine in another Jean Louis gown, although her number later, I’ve Been Kissed Before, is even better in another black show-stopping Louis gown. Hayworth may have been six years older than in Gilda, and had been through two divorces since then, but she still has glamour, charisma and she positively sizzles on screen. Welcome back Rita!

Video

     Affair in Trinidad is a black and white film presented in the 1.33:1 aspect ratio, in NTSC and not16x9 enhanced.

     Although there are some tiny marks and minor motion blur this is a good print of a film coming on to 70 years old. Grain is evident in some scenes but is generally nicely controlled, detail is firm including Rita’s black gown and flowing long hair in close-ups, shadow detail good and grey scales fine.

     No subtitles are provided.

Video Ratings Summary

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Audio

     The audio is English Dolby Digital 2.0 mono at 192 Kbps.

     The dialogue is easy to hear. There is really nothing much by way of effects except the rain, voices in the party scene and the gunshots at the climax but they are effective enough. The music by an uncredited George Duning (Oscar nominated for From Here to Eternity (1953)) is appropriate and rather good.

     There was no hiss or crackle.

    Lip synchronisation is fine except from some slight lapses during songs.

Audio Ratings Summary

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Overall

     Nothing. The silent menu offers only “Play”.

     Affair in Trinidad is available in other regions as a stand-alone DVD; the Region 1 US version is listed on Amazon UK for ₤75! This release here of the film is as part of The Films of Rita Hayworth Collection Two which collection itself forms part of The Films of Rita Hayworth Platinum Collection. See the summary section below.

     Affair in Trinidad is a return to Hollywood, and a return to form, by Rita Hayworth. It is an interesting noir thriller with a convoluted plot, a duplicitous villain, betrayals, murder, and a tough guy hero. It may not be as good as Gilda, Hayworth’s most iconic role, but that film set the bar pretty high. However, Affair in Trinidad is an underrated film that is well worth checking out.

     The video and audio are fine. No extras.

     Affair in Trinidad is included in the 12 disc / 12 film set The Films of Rita Hayworth Platinum Collection. The Films of Rita Hayworth Platinum Collection itself comprises the The Films of Rita Hayworth Collection and the The Films of Rita Hayworth Collection Two. Both of these individual Collection packs have been available previously.

     The Films of Rita Hayworth Platinum Collection was supplied for review by ViaVision Entertainment. Check out their Facebook page for the latest releases, giveaways, deals and more.

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