StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Siflutter It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

Robert Joyner The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Calum Hutton It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

clanciai There have been quite a few and commendable American efforts to understand Japan and its mentality since the war, and this was one of the first and best. The development of the intrigue takes on very unexpected complications, and not only James Cagney is in for quite a few surprises. Sylvia Sidney makes a very credible Chinese ingredient, but the most impressing characters are John Emery as the stately baron Tanaka and the old prince, who foresees the destiny of Japan at the mercy of the baron's ambitions. This is a Japanese tragedy masked behind the American smokescreens of love, action and drinking, although the journalist's story is an interesting example indeed of spectacular and undaunted journalism at its best.

morrison-dylan-fan Despite my dad owning a number of his films on DVD,I have somehow up to now only seen James Cagney in the overlooked 1935 movie G-Men. (which in no way is related to X-Men!)Talking to a friend recently,I discovered that he was interested in seeing Cagney's non-gangster titles,which led to me deciding that it would be a good time to see Cagney cover the sun with blood.The plot:Being credited as the editor who saved the paper from folding,Tokyo Chronicle editor Nick Condon begins to suspect that he may have just grabbed the story of the decade,thanks to an informant giving him a document titled "The Tanaka Memorial",which contain details about Japan's planned invasions for world domination.With having enjoyed a high amount of press freedom whilst working at the paper,Condon begins to suspect that he may have gotten hold of something very important,due to a number of police officers and politician's suddenly becoming extremely aggressive towards the paper.Fearing that he and Chronicle are at increasing risk of being permanently shut down,Condon rushes to publish the story,as he begins to find out how far the police,army and politician's are willing to go to keep the document out of the public's eye.View on the film:Made just as WWII was coming to an end,and also just before questions about the real Tanaka Memorial began to get raised, (with the document now being seen as a fake,designed to get the Alieies on the side of China's Communist party,which it succeeded in doing) the screenplay by Lester Cole,Frank Melford,Garrett Fort and Nathaniel Curtis initially make the movie appear that it is going to take a close look at the blurred lines separating the government and the press.Sadly,despite director Frank Lloyd and art directors A.Roland Fields and Wiard Ihnen, (who would both win an Oscar for their work in the title) covering the movie with tense darken alleyways and low-lit lighting,the screenplay burns out after the first 30 minutes,with the exciting espionage moments in the film being drained of their energy by the writer's jumbling them up,instead of allowing each double cross/close escape to twist naturally.Being filmed as his second feature to be from his own production company,James Cagney gives a rattling performance as Nick Condon,with Cagney showing Condon gradually becoming increasingly distrusting of all those around him as he gets closer to hitting the dead line.Along with Condon using his quick-wit to out smart the dark forces at power,Cagney also displays a surprising skill for excellent stunt work,thanks to the movie featuring a number of great,rough'n' tumble judo battles,all of which are not performed by a stunt person,but are in fact done by Cagney himself (something which Cagney would continue training with,long after the movie had been completed),which leads to this blood stained sun being one that wont fully fade out into a total eclipse.

Jem Odewahn Even the great James Cagney can't save this miserable mess of a production. Given it's political themes, the film should be more interesting than it is, but for the most part it is as flat as a tack. The gorgeous Sylvia Sidney is wasted in her role- she's the leading lady, but she really has nothing to do. The script is muddled and confusing, and it really looks very cheaply made. Cagney is easily the best thing about the entire film, but even his usual energy, focus and charisma can't rescue it. Cagney gets a few nice action sequences and gets to show his athletic prowess with judo, but other than that, the film really isn't worth your time.

Mike The Plot is confusing. The Asian/American??? girl's role is deliberately misleading. The romance, I'm sure was tailored after Casablanca including the ending, but doesn't work. Cagney is no Bogart. If there was a precondition for the romance as there was in Casablanca "Remember we'll always have Paris", I missed it. For the two of them to meet, fall in love and make love Yes they followed the convention of the time showing them in a deep kiss, breaking to a long dark transition, then showing them engaged in a serious post coital discussion; not a tie disturbed. Quaint, but unbelievable. There are several continuity errors, as others have discussed, but I find the most troubling discontinuity is the actual plot. Given the amount of time since its release in 1945, the action is acceptable and the tone respectful. It's not propaganda, it's supposed to be an Asian Casablanca. I guess they needed a piano player and a catchy song.