This movie is wildly underrated and, contrary to the usual, often numbskull IMDb opinions here, one of Sam Fuller's most satisfying pictures from the 1950s. Angie Dickinson is very convincing as Eurasian Lucky Legs, an independent woman cast adrift and on her own trying to survive in French-controlled Viet-Nam. She is constantly judged and used by former lover, racist mercenary Gene Barry (who is also the father of her bastard son)for his own ends. Nat King Cole is fine as Barry's right-hand man, Goldie. One of the great things about the film is showing the irrationality of racism, a prime example being that racist Barry has nothing but warm feelings (if memory serves) for longtime comrade, Cole. Full of great insights (no matter how broadly painted) as well as super hardboiled bits (watch for Cole stepping on a spike at night in the jungle but unable to cry out due to proximity of enemy soldiers -- as well as what happens to self-sacrificing Angie at the end). Show me another war film as gutsy and as uncompromising from this time period (outside of Don Siegel's HELL IS FOR HEROES or Anthony Mann's MEN IN WAR). Plus - how can one not warm to a movie where Lee Van Cleef (!) plays the Viet Cong commander in charge of the ammo dump that Barry and cohorts must destroy?
Review of China Gate
