East Of Sumatra (1953)

The manager (Jeff Chandler) of a Malayan tin mine goes to an unchartered island where there are massive deposits of tin to be mined but they need the help of the island's natives. At first, things are very friendly and the natives are happy to cooperate. But when the island's king (Anthony Quinn) suspects the manager is romancing his bride to be (Suzan Ball), things turn ugly. Directed by Budd Boetticher (THE TALL T). A modestly entertaining South Seas adventure shot on the Universal backlot. Boetticher's direction is workmanlike but without any of the intensity or style of his superb Ranown westerns. As usual with films like this during its era, it's condescending toward the island's indigenous people. Louis L'Amour, best known for his western novels, wrote the original treatment which was quickly changed from a story about a big corporation exploiting the island's natural resources into a sarong and sex picture. With Marilyn Maxwell, John Sutton, Earl Holliman, Scatman Crothers, Jay C. Flippen and Peter Graves.