The Crimson Kimono

The Crimson Kimono is a great title, but unfortunately that's the best thing about this 1959 film written and directed by Samuel Fuller. It's a well meaning police procedural that gives tribute to the Nisei, or Japanese-Americans who fought for the U.S. in wars, but today seems terribly dated and overwrought.

The film begins with a burlesque dancer by the name of Sugar Torch being murdered. Two detectives, Glenn Corbett and James Shigeta, investigate. The dancer had been cooking up an act with Japanese influences, and had a painting done of herself wearing the title garment. This leads the detectives to an artist (Victoria Shaw). Corbett falls in love with her, but it turns out that she is really in love with the more sophisticated Shigeta, who is reluctant to act on his love out of his loyalty to Corbett.

The murder investigation comes to play second fiddle to the soap opera going on with Shaw and the two men in love with her. I'm sure this was far more interesting in 1959--just look at the tag line on the poster: "Yes, this is a beautiful American in the arms of a Japanese boy!" Today Shaw just seems like she's really easy, as she does let Corbett kiss her and leads him on.

The film is a trim 81 minutes but seems longer. The acting is fairly wooden, and the dialogue full of cliches. Fuller made some great B-pictures, such as Pickup On South Street, but The Crimson Kimono, despite that great title, is a dud. Someone should just buy the rights to remake a better movie with that title.