The Bribe (1949)

47% of users liked it
(55 ratings)

Federal agent Robert Taylor journeys to a mythical South American community, there to break up a war-surplus contraband racket. American playboy Vincent Price is the brains of the outfit, aided and abetted by the disreputable Charles Laughton and John Hodiak. Ava Gardner, Hodiak's wife, takes over… More Federal agent Robert Taylor journeys to a mythical South American community, there to break up a war-surplus contraband racket. American playboy Vincent Price is the brains of the outfit, aided and abetted by the disreputable Charles Laughton and John Hodiak. Ava Gardner, Hodiak's wife, takes over for her husband when he's sidelined by a heart condition. Taylor tries to get to the gang boss by romancing Gardner; she eventually shifts loyalties, but Price tries to frame both Gardner and Taylor so that he can get off scot-free. Taylor finally manages to overcome Price during a oversized fireworks display at a local festival. Hampered by the old-fashioned direction of Robert Z. Leonard, The Bribe is slow going until its spectacular climax, which was later excerpted in toto and re-used in Steve Martin's detective spoof Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (82). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 38 min.
Directed By: Robert Z. Leonard
Genres: Mystery & Suspense, Drama

In Theaters: Dec 12, 1949 Wide
Studio: Warner Bros

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
It is only the heavies, Vincent Price and Charles Laughton, who keep the film dripping with venom.

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Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

I loved seeing Price as the bad guy in this movie, he seems so nice and unassuming in the beginning that you think he's just an innocent bystander, but things quickly turn dark. Gardner is beautiful, and gives a magnificent performance as the wife that the detective falls in… More
I loved seeing Price as the bad guy in this movie, he seems so nice and unassuming in the beginning that you think he's just an innocent bystander, but things quickly turn dark. Gardner is beautiful, and gives a magnificent performance as the wife that the detective falls in love with. The rest of the cast is great too. But what I didn't like about it was that annoying voice over for most of the movie, it was unnecessary. Plus the story is slightly confusing for the most part, but in the end I understood enough to like the movie.