Big Jim McLain (1952)

My Review

John Wayne and James Arness go to post-war Honolulu to weed out communists in the labor unions there for the House Un-American Activities Committee in “Big Jim McLain.” Director Edward Ludwig (“The Fighting Seabees” 1944) put together a dramatic black-and-white film noir political thriller that has the production values of a B movie. The acceptable script was penned by James Edward Grant and Eric Taylor, with the story conceived by Richard English.

The supporting cast includes Nancy Olson, Alan Napier, Veda Ann Borg, Sarah Padden, Hans Conried, Vernon McQueen, Gayne Whitman, Robert Keys, Soo Yong, John Hubbard, and Honolulu Police Chief Dan Liu as himself. Paul Fix and Harry Morgan appear in uncredited narration & voice roles. The watchable drama “Big Jim McLain” was successful in theatrical release for producer John Wayne, Wayne-Fellows Productions, and Warner Bros. Pictures.