''South of Suez'' is a 1940 American

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

directed by

Lewis Seiler Lewis Seiler (September 30, 1890 – January 8, 1964) was an American film director. He directed more than 80 films between 1923 and 1958. Seiler was born in New York City and died in Hollywood, California. Partial filmography *''A Bankru ...

and starring

George Brent George Brent (born George Brendan Nolan; 15 March 1904 – 26 May 1979) was an Irish-American stage, film, and television actor. He is best remembered for the eleven films he made with Bette Davis, which included '' Jezebel'' and '' Dark Victo ...

Brenda Marshall Brenda Marshall (born Ardis Ankerson; September 29, 1915Some question exists regarding the exact date of her birth. An article in the December 31, 1939, issue of the '' Salt Lake Tribune'' says that she was born November 29, 1915. – July 3 ...

and

George Tobias George Tobias (July 14, 1901 – February 27, 1980) was an American theater, film and television actor. He had character parts and supporting roles in several major films of Hollywood's Golden Age. He is also known for his role as Abner K ...

. An alleged murder in an African

diamond mine There are a limited number of commercially available diamond mines currently operating in the world, with the 50 largest mines accounting for approximately 90% of global supply. Diamonds are also mined alluvially over disperse areas, where dia ...

haunts a man many years later after he has returned to Britain. The film was made as a programmer by

Warner Brothers Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

. It was part of a cycle of British-themed films made by Hollywood studios during the era.

Plot

In 1930s East Africa, mining engineer John Gamble (

) is falsely accused of killing his partner, Roger Smythe (

Miles Mander Miles Mander (born Lionel Henry Mander; 14 May 1888 – 8 February 1946), was an English character actor of the early Hollywood cinema, also a film director and producer, and a playwright and novelist. He was sometimes credited as Luther Mile ...

). Actually, the real culprit is a rival prospector, Eli Snedeker (

), a man obsessed with diamonds. Snedeker shot Smythe and stole his $50,000 gem, dubbed the Star of Africa. Later, he convinced other miners of Gamble's guilt. Having been framed, Gamble has no choice but to flee Africa. He stows away on a ship bound for England. Upon arriving, Gamble changes his name to "John Bradley" and dabbles in investment banking. Years later, after achieving wealth, he meets and falls in love with a rich heiress, Kit Sheffield (

), who turns out to be the daughter of Smythe, Gamble's dead partner. She tells Gamble/Bradley that her one overriding ambition in life is to see John Gamble dead. One rainy evening, Fate offers Gamble the opportunity to rid himself of his old identity. He secretly plants his credentials on the body of a dead, unknown itinerant beneath a London bridge. The subsequent discovery of the corpse convinces authorities that John Gamble is indeed dead. This clears the way for he and Kit to marry. But a fateful intervention results in a courtroom trial involving Snedeker, who has moved to London as a semi-retired diamond cutter. Gamble/Bradley reluctantly testifies and confirms Snedeker's accusation that he is the real John Gamble, the suspected murderer of Kit's father. However, Snedeker's wife ( Lee Patrick) volunteers further testimony and reveals to the court that Snedeker was the real murderer. In a rage, Snedeker pulls out a pistol and shoots his wife. But her input is enough to convince the court that Gamble is innocent of Smythe's murder. He and Kit can now, finally, marry.

Main cast

Production

The lead role was meant to be played by George Raft but he turned it down, so George Brent played it.

References

Bibliography

* Glancy, H. Mark. ''When Hollywood Loved Britain: The Hollywood 'British' Film 1939-1945''. Manchester University Press, 1999.

External links

* 1940 films 1940 drama films American drama films Films directed by Lewis Seiler Films scored by Friedrich Hollaender Films set in London Films set in Africa Warner Bros. films American black-and-white films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films {{1940s-drama-film-stub