Review of The Scarlet Coat

*Spoiler/plot- The Scarlet Coat, 1955. In the American colonies during 1780s, a 'Major John Boulton' is recruited by Colonial intelligence as a counterspy who will fake colonial desertion to the British occupying army. Boulton's mission is to discover the identity of an American traitor with the code name 'Gustavus'. Although a prominent Tory from New York, Dr. Odell suspects Boulton of being a double agent. Boulton wins the friendship and respect of British officer and spy-master, Major John Andre. While doing so, Boulton discovers that the traitor is none other than American hero and General George Washington's friend, General Benedict Arnold. West Point had a raft of barges with massive anchor chain across the river to prevent British navy from going up river to gain an advantage. General Arnold is planning to surrender the key colonial position of West Point to the English.

*Special Stars- Cornel Wilde, Michael Wilding, George Sanders, Anne Francis, Robert Douglas, John McIntire, Rhys Williams.

*Theme- War is a dirty but honorable business.

*Trivia/location/goofs- Color. Goofs:"Blow the Man Down" is heard on the soundtrack during a scene involving the man o' war. The sea shanty was composed anonymously in the 1860s, eighty-odd years after the incidents in this film. Tavern drinks called a 'flip' heated with a hot 'loggerhead' or poker into beer, molasses, and rum.

*Emotion- A rich film of drama and intrigue. Interesting bit of historic storytelling from the early 50's during the Cold War.

*Based on- The story of General Benedict Arnold.