Mask of Korea (1950)
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Synopsis by Hal Erickson
Released in the U.S. in 1950, Mask of Korea has the sort of title that suggests a tie-in with the then-raging Korean Conflict. Not true. The film was actually lensed in France in 1940, under the title Macao l'Enfer de Jeu. Silent-film veterans Erich Von Stroheim and Sessue Hayakawa star as, respectively, a gun-runner and a gambling-house proprietor. The two men are brought into conflict over a revolution in Korea, and are also rivals for the affections of a beautiful woman (Mirielle Balin). When customers complained about the misleading title Mask of Korea, the film was rechristened Gambling Hell.
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Keywords
expose [revelation], gambling, investigation, journalism, reporter, revolution, romance, smuggling, weapons, weapons-dealer