[Spoilers...]
James Mason stars as Commander Max Easton in this movie as a man with a plan - and what an original one it is!
Max meets Virginia Killain (Vera Miles) after running into a man he served with during the war, Charles Holland (George Sanders). Max takes her glove while they're in the backseat together, goes to her house the next day, and learns that Virginia is Charles's fiancee. He becomes determined to have her for himself, but realizes that he needs money to make this possible. He reveals a plan to Virginia about disappearing under questionable circumstances - and return to sue the newspapers for defamation of character.
While he's on the island, living it up and waiting for the news of his becoming a "traitor," Virginia reveals the plan to Charles. He keeps saying that they should tell on Max, because he doesn't want them involved in fraud. When Max hears of his being called a "traitor," he makes plans to escape - but the gas can that he has with him ends up sinking when he's making a bad step. Luckily for him, Virginia has a plan - a message in a bottle, which she hands to a little boy.
Charles tells on Max, and the detectives try to get him to confess what the bottle looked like - what the letter said. This part really had my heart hammering. What's he going to say? Have they got him? Then, Max just says, "I must have sent out half a dozen in a day." With different messages, too, of course!
James Mason, as always, is suave and irresistible, with a daredevil side too boot. I wish we had actors as dynamic as Mr. Mason - and as sexy, without having to show skin. It's hard to imagine he was pushing fifty when he did this movie! The scene that touched me the most was the one where Max is dancing cheek-to-cheek with Virginia. Very moving! Very sexy!
If you're looking for a fun movie, look no further! But, whatever you do, don't think about going the lengths that Max did to get Virginia, unless you know FOR SURE that someone loves you. I mean, come on: love might be important, but not at the risk of your life. He could have died on that island!
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