Outpost in Malaya

Outpost in Malaya (The Planter’s Wife) 1952 B&W 88 min. DVD Region One (playable in the US, Canada, Mexico and US Territories) Starring: Claudette Colbert, Jack Hawkins, Anthony Steel, Ram Gopal and Peter Asher. Written by Guy Elmes, S.C. George, Peter Proud. Directed by Ken Annakin. Digitally re-mastered.

The marriage of rubber-plantation owner Jim Frazer (Jack Hawkins) and his wife, Liz (Claudette Colbert), which has survived many disasters, including years in a Japanese internment camp, is at a breaking point. Under constant threats of bandit attacks and concerned with the safety of his plantation and the people on it, Jim spares no time for his marriage. Liz is to take their young son, Mike (Peter Asher), home to school in England, and, without telling Jim, does not plan to return. A neighboring plantation is attacked and the owner killed just prior to her departure. Liz and Jim get arms and ammunition from a near-by town, and a night of terror follows as the bandits attack.

“One of those lovely little pictures of a battle to the death between a cobra and a mongoose is dropped into this one, and it's the best nerve-tingler in the whole show.” – New York Times