The Bribe

In Central America, a Federal agent (Robert Taylor) tracking smugglers falls for a woman (Ava Gardner) whose husband is a suspect.

The Bribe is a surprisingly good film-noir, thanks in large part to an all-round solid cast and a crackling good script.

Though Robert Taylor and Ava Gardner are clearly the leads, supporting players Vincent Price and especially Charles Laughton give such strong performances, the film almost feels like an ensemble piece. Taylor plays the lead with a good amount of charisma but a minimum of flash, and Gardner’s terrific as his blind spot. She’s attractive enough to lure you in, and tough enough to knock you over. Laughton is award-worthy as a smarmy, sweating, weasel, and Price brings his usual wolfen charm.

All the players benefit from the great script by Marguerite Roberts. While Taylor’s third-person narration is a bit clumsy, it’s a minor blemish. Ditto the workable plot. What really shines here is the dialog. It’s so good, you’d almost believe Raymond Chandler did some touch-up work. With lines like “Looks like everybody is wearing somebody else’s voice,” and “If I have to slap it out of you, I will!” The Bribe is immensely quotable.

Topping it all off are flashes of great direction from Robert Z. Leonard, the best of which comes during the film’s fireworks-laden finale.

All this adds up to a very good film. Sure, it’s got its flaws, but given the good performances, great dialog, and solid direction, those flaws are easy to overlook. Indeed, if you’re a fan of the film-noir genre, The Bribe may very well be one of the best films you’ve never seen.