The Man From Cairo (1953)

The French government is investigating the disappearance of some gold bullion stolen during WWII in North Africa. When an American tourist (George Raft) arrives in Algeria, suspicion falls on him as either an American agent assisting the French or as an adventurer out to find the gold for himself. Directed by Ray Enright (THE SPOILERS), the best thing about the film are the authentic Italian and Algerian locations. The story itself is rather muddled and the stiff performance by George Raft doesn't help. He plays his love scenes with all the passion of a clam and when you've got a beauty like Gianna Maria Canale as your leading lady, if you can't muster up any enthusiasm, something's wrong. While one can give Canale a pass on her often awkward line readings as English isn't her first language but what is Raft's excuse? He recites his lines as if he learned them phonetically. It's not the kind of film that sticks with you and if I watch it again in a couple of years, I'm sure it will seem like the first time. With Irene Papas, Massimo Serato, Alfredo Varelli and Mino Doro.