User reviews

"Betrayed" stars Clark Gable in his last film for MGM, after which his contract was not renewed. I love the way these studios managed to forget the very people who made them great and kept them solvent during some hard years, but there you go. Gable deserved better for his last film - though it is beautifully photographed in color on location and has a star cast, he doesn't really have much of a role.

With Gable is another star on unsure footing at MGM - Lana Turner, who by 1954 had committed the unforgivable sin of being over 30 and therefore on her way out as far as Dore Schary was concerned. Victor Mature and Louis Calhern round out the all-star cast. Turner, as the widowed Carla van Oven, is sent into Holland as a liaison between a resistance fighter, The Scarf (Mature) and the British. When it becomes apparent that someone is betraying the resistance, Deventer (Gable), who trained Carla and fell in love with her, begins to suspect she's spying for the Nazis.

The story gets a little confusing but all in all, it's fairly routine stuff, and all these actors have appeared in stronger vehicles. It is lovely to look at, however. And Turner, as a brunette, looks beautiful and, though it's wartime, has some glamor moments as well. Gable at 53 was probably a little past it for his role, but he has a commanding presence. Mature does a good job as the wild resistance fighter.

Clark Gable and Turner both gave MGM their best years. "Betrayed" turned out to be an apt title for both of them.

Clark Gable and Lana Turner made their fourth and final film together in Betrayed which also was Gable's final film for MGM where he reigned as king for 24 years. Also along for the ride in this World War II story is Victor Mature.

Gable is a member of the Dutch army in exile which is part of the overall allied army that will shortly be invading cross channel. Turner is an agent that he has recruited of whose loyalties he has some qualms about and Mature is a reckless Dutch resistance leader.

One of these three is a traitor, a person responsible for several failed missions of the resistance. Even more important the traitor leaked information to the Germans about Field Marshal Montgomery's Operation Market Garden which got the British Army hung up in Arnhem. Who could it be?

For a more accurate picture of that operation, I would strongly urge you to watch A Bridge Too Far. In that film you will see none of the events or characters that are shown in Betrayed.

This was Gable's last film at MGM, Dore Schary was cutting loose from a lot of the stalwart contract players that kept Leo the Lion on top of the heap for 20 years. Gable looks like he's just going through the motions and the cast follows suit.

Turner is somewhat interesting as the femme fatale of ambiguous loyalties. Mature looks as bored as Gable, though he does try to invest his part with some of that heavy lidded beefcake charm he was known for.

Not the best work for any of the stars involved.

"Betrayed!" is just a bit above average World War II film in the espionage genre. Even though I can't help watching it every once in a while I'm not really sure where its attraction is for me. Perhaps it is that I like World War II espionage films and so I don't get too demanding with movies that deal with such matters.

Considering that in my opinion this product has an interesting story about courage, love and mainly treason, lots of action sequences, beautiful outdoor locations in Holland and two important stars in the male and female leading roles (Clark Gable and Lana Turner) I must agree with one reviewer here that thinks the flaw is in the direction work. Gottfied Reinhardt was a not very prolific and average director whose best work was probably the interesting "Town Without Pity" (1961). In "Betrayed!" he doesn't succeed with a movie that had chances of delivering more impact and strength; none of the main actors look too enthusiastic about their characters and it shows.

Gable doesn't add much to his brilliant career in his role as a Dutch intelligence officer though his impressive screen presence always helps him. Lana Turner looks beautiful as a brunette in spite of the just standard performance she delivers as an infiltrated spy for the allies. Victor Mature as a partisan chief ("Scarf") is the only one that shoes interest in what he is doing as usual, but he also overacts terribly as usual. Anton Diffring is also there in one of his nasty Nazi officer roles he played so well.

My feeling about "Betrayed!" is that a better film could have been made with a more strong and imaginative directors, but as it came out this picture is just for fans of the genre.

Despite good performances from Lana Turner, Clark Gable and Victor Mature (in a colorful role as "The Scarf"), and some pretty location photography of Holland (filmed in Eastmancolor), there are script problems that render BETRAYED a contrived spy tale about the Dutch underground resistance to Nazis.

As one reviewer noted, "at times it is hard to tell who Clark Gable, Lana Turner and Victor Mature are spying for" -- and the revelation that there is a traitor among them comes as no great surprise.

Still, the story moves at a fair pace, Lana looks gorgeous even with a brunette hairdo, and the aging Clark Gable gives a quietly underplayed performance in his final role at Metro. Victor Mature comes off best in a colorful pivotal role. Wilfred Hyde-White, Louis Calhern and Roland Culver are wasted in supporting roles.

All in all, an average spy melodrama bolstered by some fine location photography.

For more about the film and Lana Turner, see my article on LANA TURNER: DANGEROUS CURVES in the Spring Issue 2002 of FILMS OF THE GOLDEN AGE magazine.

Before I say anything else, I need to talk about the film score. While one reviewer pointed out how they liked it, I found that after what seemed like the 800th repetition of the same calliope music, I was ready to scream! I truly hated the music and it really didn't seem all that appropriate to the film--sounding more like circus or organ grinder's music than something for a WWII flick.

Now apart from all that, the film was a reasonably competent film and Gable, Turner and Mature all did fine. However, being a die-hard Clark Gable fan, I really wish he had more to do in the film. While Victor Mature got 3rd billing, he really seemed much more the star in the film and he definitely came off best of the three.

Apart from the acting, the film technically seemed only okay. Not bad, but certainly not good either. The biggest problem is that although the film was made on location in Holland (a big plus), the actors never sounded or acted Dutch in the least. Case in point, Lana Turner calling a young Dutch lad "Jan"--with a j-sound. It should have been pronounced "Yan"--and those responsible for the film should have noticed or cared. But, in the end it looked and sounded like hardly anyone connected with the film was Dutch--very strange indeed when it is a location shoot! As for the plot, it seemed to drag a little bit but was also pretty unusual and interesting--and it's because of that the film managed to score a 6.

Thriller/melodrama/WWII action movie dealing with the Dutch Movement Resistance being threatened by an undercover , mysterious traitor when a Dutch intelligence officer recruits an allied woman to act as liaison with dashing Resistance leader 'The Scarf' for a British attack on Arnhem. As Carla Van Oven (Lana Turner) becomes an Allied spy for the British intelligence in The Netherlands during World War 2, although she's really suspected of having cooperated with the Germans in the past . Colonel Pieter Deventer (Clark Gable) of Dutch intelligence agrees that she may train to join a tough team in the resistance movement , led by rebel leader nicknamed The Scarf (Victor Mature) . The team starts suffering heavy losses after she has joined them. Then colonel Gable falls for Dutch Resistance member who is suspected of being in cahoots with the Germans . Great story of love and war !. The Secret Three meet...one is the betrayer and two the betrayed !. M-G-M filmed the mystery of the year in Holland!

Warlike drama with intrigue , suspense , tension , fights and romance . Bombshell Lana Turner and strongman Clark Gable star in this story of WWII espionage in which she suspected of being a Nazi informer and is sent back to Holland for a last chance at redemption . Decent warfare melodrama with some enjoyable on-location shooting in The Netherlands . Clark Gable is acceptable , but at times was looking tired and jaded when he made this rather predictable WWII action drama . The main question of the film results to be if gorgeous Lana Turner's a traitor and collaborationist , while Gable falls in love for her . Being Clark Gable and Lana Turner's fourth and final teaming , their previous movies were successes enough . They are very well accompanied by a great cast with plenty of familiar faces giving adequate interpretations , such as : Louis Calhern , O. E. Hasse , Wilfrid Hyde-White, Ian Carmichael , Niall MacGinnis ,Nora Swinburne, Roland Culver , Anton Driffing , Theodore Bikel , Richard Anderson , Ferdy Mayne , Reggie Nalder , Mona Washbourne , among others . And stands out Victor Mature , as he takes what acting honours are going, playing a resistance leader with a mother fixation well played by Nora Swinburne.

It was shot mostly on location in Holland far from his usual stamping ground by great photographer Freddie Young who provides a nice camera work . Being filmed in Sittard, Limburg, Delft, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands, Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands , Vliegveld Ypenburg, Rijswijk, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands and London, England, UK . Adding a thrilling and rousing musical score by Walter Goehr . The motion picture was professionally directed by Gottfried Reinhardt , though it has some lack-lustre scenes and proved to be a commercial and critical failure . German Gottfried Reinhardt -son of the prestigious stage director Max Reinhardt- went to Hollywood in 1932, to work for director Ernst Lubitsch. He subsequently joined MGM as an assistant to Walter Wanger, then graduated to writing and production. During World War II, he made documentaries for the Army Signals Corps. He resumed his career as producer or associate producer or director with MGM after 1945, including A-grade films like Command Decision (1948) , Big Jack (1949) , Red Badge of Courage (1951) , Betrayed (1954) , Situation Hopeless -- But Not Serious (1965) . In the early 1960's , Reinhardt worked as an independent producer/director, in both Europe and in the U. S. Rating : 6.5/10 . The yarn will appeal to Clark Gable , Lana Turner and Victor Mature fans. Well worth seeing .

"This dog just does not hunt." Not just that it is contrived and unbelievable in places.....the characters are not believable, none of them. Clark Gable is aging and looks and sounds totally American. Not at all like a Dutch intelligence officer who's still on his game. Lana Turner sounds American though she too is supposed to be Dutch. In her case, we are supposed to believe that being stuck in hiding for days in a windmill with no amenities or frills, or trekking through rough countryside, she still has perfectly coiffed hair and red lipstick that never wears off even a little, the entire time.

And then we have the third lead, Victor Mature, also sounding very American. At least Wilfred Hyde White and Louis Calhern and the wonderful, not well known Ian Carmichael sound British and are supposed to be, in the film. I just think having all three leads being so apple pie American pretending to be Dutch who have never set foot in America, is too much to impose on the viewer's "suspension of disbelief." Victor Mature's character development (want to avoid spoilers) that affects the plot heavily also seems "a bridge too far."

Many, many better spy films out there!

Picture would have been better with the original casting - Gregory Peck, Richard Widmark and Ava Gardner - although Gable is quite believable.

Scenery and locations are great, and add a lot to the film. I wish there were more languages spoken, with sub-titles or perhaps a fade to English after the nationality has been determined.

Is any of this based on a true story? And it seems that if this was filmed just nine years after the end of the war, there would be more bombing ruins. I know when we lived in England and travelled throughout Europe during 1964 and 1965, we still saw signs of the destruction everywhere. Especially in the small villages and countryside.

Strange to say, West Germany looked the most recovered and the young soldiers I spoke with in the huge Munich Biergärten said, "Just wait, we will all be one Germany again soon."

Recently viewed this film and enjoyed seeing actors like Victor Mature("I Wake Up Screaming" '41); Clark Gable("Gone With the Wind") and Lana Turner("Imitation of Life" '59) and Louis Calhern("The Asphalt Jungle '50). This film kept you on the edge of your seat, always wondering if Lana Turner was a counter-spy for the Germans or the Dutch people during WW II. There was lots of action blowing up Nazi installations, and the struggles that the Dutch people had with the German occupation of their country. All these actors showed their mature age over the years,(Age is a great GIFT) however, Clark Gable, Victor Mature and Lana Turner never lost their charms for making very warm romantic scenes without having to take their clothes off! Try to catch this film on TV, you will enjoy seeing Classic film actors really at work.

I was initially prepared to give this a flat 6, but changed to a light 7 after watching. It's a visually lush film, but the the TCM copy was a bit fuzzy, so I suspect it's hard to get a clean print of this 1954 flick. It's one of the few films I review where I wish it was longer. It needs about ten more minutes to better deepen the doubt and mystery of who the real mole was. It was too light on developing the intrigue, in a movie where intrigue is the central character. None of the actors' characters is fleshed out as they should be. They're all good enough, considering their star glamor status at the time.

The combat and shooting sequences are awkward and almost insulting to modern eyes, but for 1954, that was de rigeur. Don't expect a shred of violence-laced tension. That's not this movie's strong suit.

This is an above-average story, that could be told better by a remake. Would be a cracking limited series on netflix or amazon.

I've always been very found of this movie. As another reviewer wrote, the screenwriters did a good job of blending the facts of Operation Market Garden with the fictitious story. I liked the role of the dashing "The Scarf" and Victor Mature's portrayal. Most of all, I like this as the last paring of Gable and Turner. Their first was HONKY TONK in 1941 when he was still the sassy, scowling rascal of GONE WITH THE WIND and IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT, and she was young, soft, delicate and alluring. By 1954, his scowl and sass were long gone as the result of the loss of his wife, Carole Lombard, and of the war which had made sass seem frivolous. He was older and thicker, but still a commanding screen presence. She was older, more experienced as a character and as an actress, and still alluring. When they slowly walk arm and arm, going in the wrong direction, through a line of soldiers singing "Bless Them All," this older and wiser pair had come full circle.

Clark Gable reigned supreme at the studios of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Sadly, this was the last film of his contract and the fact that the studio he had made millions for did not offer to renew it, left him very bitter. He never set foot inside the gates of MGM ever again.

I was willing to suspend disbelief in this farfetched Gable-Turner vehicle, until Victor Mature showed up as a Dutch reistance fighter. Where did he get his signiture deep suntan in cool, cloudy Holand? Talk about miscasting, Mature is about as Dutch (or any kind of European) as the Hollywood sign. He makes no effort whatsoever to being anything but a brash all-American wolf. How come his mom and brother speak with thick accents, but he speaks perfect American ?

On the positive end, Turner and Gable turn in credible acting performances, and there's some attractive Technicolor outdoor location shooting, though probably using doubles in long shots for the stars (I didn't pay enough attention to this silly film to really catch it).

One thing I did catch was though shot in the old non-widescreen (academy) aspect ratio, the shots were composed so that the top and perhaps a bit of the bottom of the frame could be cropped so the film could be shown in theaters able to show widescreen (1:85 to 1) movies. This makes sense since the film was made in 1953 or early 1954. In viewing the film on TCM, in I noticed some of the shots and the sets had an unusual amount of irrelevant ceiling, extra tall cabinets, etc.

In the opening credits for "Betrayed," MGM states clearly that the movie is fictitious, with the standard disclaimer. That being the case, the writers did a marvelous job of tying it to some real history. First, the Dutch resistance and underground, including incidents of traitors. Second, the rescue of the 2,500 plus men of the British First Airborne division who had been surrounded and cut off near Remagen in Operation Market Garden. The movie, "A Bridge Too Far," gives a fairly detailed and accurate portrayal of that operation, including the rescue of the men who were cut off.

In this film, of course, the incidents that lead to the rescue are fiction, but the movie does a good job of linking the fictitious story to real events of the time and place during World War II. That lends it that much more of a sense of reality. Along with that, most of the film was shot at locations in The Netherlands. Some scenes show the unmistakable lowland countryside. One very poignant scene shows Carla and The Scarf driving to his mother's home. They are on a long Holland dike that separates the open sea from an inland body of water.

The cast for this film is excellent. The main leads have about the same amount of film time. Clark Gable is Col. Pieter Deventer, a member of the Dutch army in exile and the head of Dutch intelligence working with British intelligence. Lana Turner is Carla Van Oven, a notorious black-market operator in Holland whom the British recruit and Deventer trains for espionage work. Victor Mature is The Scarf, a free- wheeling leader of a resistance faction. He resists coordination with the British and seems to enjoy the killing and destruction of German facilities. A fine supporting cast includes well-known British actors, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Louis Calhern and Ian Carmichael.

Other reviewers note that this is the last film Gable made with MGM, ending a 24-year contract under which he was its prime male star for much of the time. He made nine more films before his death from a heart attack in 1960. All of them were box office successes, and some are excellent films and highly regarded. Turner was active in films into the early 1970s, after which she turned to TV series until finally retiring in 1985 at age 64.

This film has some good action scenes along with the espionage intrigue. And, of course, the Gable and Turner characters fall in love for the Hollywood romantic aspect. While the story and movie are very good and interesting, this isn't a model production. The direction seems to be weak. The film editing is not what it could be. The movie is choppy in places, and at times, some of the actors seem a little wooden.

Still, it's an interesting wartime espionage and action thriller that most people should enjoy.

In Nazi-occupied Netherlands, Dutch intelligence Colonel Pieter Deventer (Clark Gable) makes contact with resistance leader "The Scarf" (Victor Mature). Pieter is forced to recruit Carla Van Oven (Lana Turner) on a mission despite her suspicious past and Nazi connections.

The filming style is rather old fashion at times. Other than being color, there is an older face to the production. The story moves rather slowly until it gets to the little moments of action. The characters seem to go back and forth across the channel without transitions. One would think smuggling would be more intense than that. They are also unnecessary moments of confusion of their locations. The espionage plot also gets unnecessarily confused. The switching between the protagonists also disrupts the flow. I can excuse a lot more if the filming is closer to the war years. One expects better work by then. Carla keeps the movie on its toes but even there, it deteriorates. She gets too melodramatic and again, it's an older way of cinema. There is plenty of old war machinery but the action is very limited. It is all about the mystery but it loses the tension well before the reveal.

As someone working on creative and interesting plotting, I saw this intrigue movie as outstanding. I had to stay and watch just to find out who the 2-way spy was: was it Turner, was it Mature, oh my could it be Clark? I had no problem with the directing; I thought the last scene with Turner looking at Gable, searching his face for signs of hate or love was good.

I had a problem with the one word title, although it was relevant; it did seem to point to one character as the good guy, so it was misleading if that was the intent. (I don't think this is a spoiler, let me know).

I was glad the movie was in color; usually I prefer black and white on the older movies, however, the scenery et all was great in color.

while i enjoyed seeing this film at least a dozen time,my memory always take me back to the first time i saw the in 1955 and it was the first war film i was allowed to watch,i fell in love with Lana turner and thought victor mature was a cad, well i was young and the actors were very convincing in their role. however my main comment is more like a question.., how can i obtain a recording of the song johnny come home? all i Learned from my searches that the voice belongs to that wonderful Diana Coupland, and no end of searches have led me to finding the song on the internet.to me the song gave the movie an atmosphere of what war is all about. but on the whole, its a movie i will watch whenever it is showing.

The flick starts with some of the best action ever. It continues with plenty of action as well as an incidental romance. Shot on location in Holland with a terrific cast, this flick is as good as they get! It has a fascinating plot as well.

It's basically a mystery set against the back drop of war. It's a case of who's the traitor? Ultimately, as with all good mysteries, the culprit is revealed. The discovery of the traitor and the traitor's motivation are revealed and make sense to the viewer.

Any flick with Clark gable is going to be good. Pair him up with Lana Turner as well as Victor Mature and you know it's got to be good just from the casting alone.

The only mystery to me is how anyone could give a vote of less than ten.