The Scavengers


1h 19m 1959

Film Details

Also Known As
Sin City
Genre
Adventure
Crime
Release Date
Oct 1959
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Hemisphere Entertainment, Inc.; Lynn-Romero Productions
Distribution Company
Hal Roach Distributing Corp.; Valiant Films
Country
Philippines and United States
Location
Hong Kong,United States; Hong Kong,Hong Kong; Manila,Phillipines; Manila,Philippines; Macao; Macao, United States; Hong Kong

Technical Specs

Duration
1h 19m

Synopsis

In a Hong Kong restaurant near the harbor, smuggling partners Stuart Allison and Puan toast to the end of their professional relationship as Stuart has decided to move to Manila to begin a new life. Noticing a ship departing the dock, Stuart spots his long-missing wife Marion at the railing and races down to the pier where he is arrested and briefly detained for causing a commotion. Learning that the ship sailed to Macao, Stuart immediately follows to search for Marion. After visiting numerous bars, Stuart confronts a balding man who is trailing him. The man, Casimiro O'Hara, reveals that he knows Stuart is tracking Marion, whom he has known for over five years. Stuart confesses that Marion abandoned him only two months after their marriage six years earlier when he was still in the army and that he spent three years looking for her before giving up. Claiming to know Marion's whereabouts, O'Hara directs Stuart to a private club, arranging to meet him afterward. Stuart finds Marion at the club and although she appears high from narcotics, he takes her to his hotel where they have sex. The next morning, Marion refuses to tell Stuart any details about her life, but promises to meet him that evening at a private home. Later, Stuart sees O'Hara, who advises him that Marion is a drug addict and needs help. That evening, Stuart goes to the address provided by Marion where he is brutally attacked by a white man and his native henchman. O'Hara, who has followed Stuart, rescues him and has his injuries treated. While Stuart recovers, O'Hara reveals that Marion has returned to Hong Kong and explains that for nearly five years she has had a relationship with a former Chinese Nationalist Army officer, Gen. Woo. Woo was forced to resign from the military after absconding with three million dollars worth of bonds and money, and subsequently fled to Japan where he met Marion. The Chinese government has been searching for the bonds over the years and believes Marion is involved in transporting them for Woo. After fully recovering from the beating, Stuart returns to Hong Kong where he rejoins his mistress, nightclub dancer Marissa. O'Hara contacts Stuart to inform him that Marion is living alone at a hotel and has put numerous boxes in storage at a nearby warehouse. At O'Hara's urging, Stuart reluctantly arranges a meeting with Marion despite Marissa's misgivings. The next afternoon, Marion joins Stuart at a secluded spot outside of the city where he acknowledges knowing both about her addiction and the bonds. Marion pleads with Stuart to stay away from her and refuses his invitation to go to Manila. Alarmed when he cannot reach O'Hara later, Stuart visits O'Hara's hotel room with Marissa and finds it wrecked. Two men then chase the couple through the alleyways, but they manage to escape unharmed. Telephoning his hotel, Stuart learns O'Hara has been in an accident and has summoned him to the hospital. Upon arriving at the emergency room, however, Stuart finds O'Hara dead. The police chief informs Stuart that O'Hara was involved in a hit and run car accident and was a top agent for the Chinese Nationalist government. Stuart then decides to watch Marion's hotel and is surprised to see the white man who beat him. Confronting Marion in her room, Stuart finds her weak and anxious after being deprived of cocaine. Stuart angrily demands to know why she set up O'Hara, but Marion insists she did not know that British thug Mike Taggert, the man who just left her room, would kill him. Marion confesses that Taggert has used her addiction to try and get information about the bonds, but she asserts she knows nothing about them and concludes that Woo may be dead. Determined to help Marion, Stuart forcibly takes her to Puan's home located in the country and, with Marissa and Puan's help, tries to break her drug habit. Stuart then returns to the city to arrange to have Marion's luggage moved but upon spotting Taggert in the hotel lobby, repairs to the bar with him. Taggert discloses he has been tracking the bonds and money since their theft and offers Stuart a percentage to help him. Angered over Taggert's treatment of Marion, Stuart warns him to stay away from her. Believing that the bonds are in the boxes Marion has in storage, Stuart tells Marissa and Puan that he plans to convince Taggert and the police that he is leaving Hong Kong by setting up false airline and ship reservations. Instead, he and Marion will secretly sail with Puan to Manila that night. That evening, Stuart, Puan, Marissa and Marion drive to the warehouse, but when the men find the storage area has been broken into, Marion panics and runs away. Exploring the warehouse, the men find a wounded guard, who mistakes them for his attackers and shoots Puan. At Puan's insistence, Stuart and Marissa drive him out to his country home where they are met by three men, one of whom introduces himself as Woo. The former general refuses to allow Stuart to call a doctor for Puan until he reveals Marion's location. Woo tells Stuart that the boxes at the warehouse were a diversion to mislead Taggert and that Marion has unknowingly carried the bonds in the lining of her luggage. Stuart agrees to have Marion's luggage brought to the house, but discovers Marion has reclaimed her bags and returned to her hotel. Woo orders his henchman to eliminate Stuart and the others and in the subsequent fight, Puan is killed. Stuart tracks Woo and with Marissa's help, kills him. Marissa then drives Stuart back to town but wearily concedes she cannot continue with him. In Marion's hotel room, Stuart finds her sitting dazed over Taggert's dead body, the bonds scattered on the floor. Stunned to realize that Marion has intentionally taken an overdose of cocaine, Stuart remains helpless as his wife asks for forgiveness before dying. Stuart collects the bonds and although he considers escaping, finds Marissa waiting for him in the street. Together the couple takes the bonds and turn themselves over to the police.

Film Details

Also Known As
Sin City
Genre
Adventure
Crime
Release Date
Oct 1959
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Hemisphere Entertainment, Inc.; Lynn-Romero Productions
Distribution Company
Hal Roach Distributing Corp.; Valiant Films
Country
Philippines and United States
Location
Hong Kong,United States; Hong Kong,Hong Kong; Manila,Phillipines; Manila,Philippines; Macao; Macao, United States; Hong Kong

Technical Specs

Duration
1h 19m

Quotes

Trivia

Notes

The alternate title for the film was Sin City. On the print viewed, the opening title cards appeared to have been added for the film's re-release. Although there is a copyright statement on the film, it is not included in copyright records. A copyright statement on the added title cards, also listing Hemisphere Films, is also not included in copyright records. The Scavengers was shot in Hong Kong, Macao, and Manila, Philippines.