"The Crimson Kimono" is not one of Sam Fuller's better films, but leave it to Fuller to make a murder mystery thriller where the murder mystery becomes almost beside the point and the film instead becomes an examination of racial tension.That tension doesn't even play a role in the crime at the film's center. It's between the two detectives assigned to solving the murder. And this isn't a whites-being-racist-against-minorities film either. It's the Japanese American detective (played by James Shigeta) who has the problem, seeing racism against himself where it doesn't exist and not able to get past his own insecurities about his heritage. This quality more than anything else makes the film unique and very Fuller-esque, but in all other ways it's a bit of a disappointment. It only has moments of that ragged, off-kilter quality that make Fuller's best movies -- movies like "The Naked Kiss," "Shock Corridor" and "The Big Red One" -- so damn good.Grade: B-

Favorite movie quote - "Because you're a meat-head, that's how!" As is the case here with The Crimson Kimono (TCK for short), there are just some Crime/Thrillers out there (especially from the 1950s) that are so hilariously bad that, yes, they're almost good.From its cheap, lurid sleaziness, to its truly terrible violence, to its pure brain-dead dialogue, to its absolutely amateurish direction (courtesy of Samuel Fuller), this film was a literal laugh-riot of some of the most outrageous examples of second-rate movie-making that I've seen in a mighty long time.I mean, things got so downright wacky in TCK's story that during Homicide's investigation into stripper, Sugar Torch's dumbfounding murder, handsome Detective Bancroft actually flashed a photo of the suspected killer to potential witnesses while holding said picture upside-down. (Ha! Spare me!) I guess this was his way of seeing if anyone was really paying attention.With its totally uncool ambiance (set on the gaudy side of L.A.) TCK scraped the absolute bottom of the inter-racial barrel by injecting into its already tangled & mangled story a scorching-hot romance between a Japanese man (a cop) and a Caucasian woman (an artist). (Ooh! How scandalous!) On all counts, TCK absolutely killed me with its utter ineptitude. But, hey, that's exactly where all of its low-budget, one-dimensional charm stemmed from. And, I wouldn't have had it any other way!

The Crimson Kimono is written, produced and directed by Samuel Fuller. It stars Glenn Corbett, James Shigeta, Victoria Shaw & Anna Lee. Cinematographer is Sam Leavitt and the music is by Harry Sukman. Plot is about two L.A. cops, Joe Kojaku (Shigeta) & Charlie Bancroft (Corbett), deep friends of a different race, bonded by blood who met during the Korean War. When stripper Sugar Torch (Gloria Pall) is shot and killed, the two men's investigation sees them follow a painting to the artist who painted it, Christine Downes (Shaw). It's the start of a love triangle that could have far reaching consequences for not only the investigation, but also Joe, Charlie & Christine.1959 saw the release of Douglas Sirk's Imitation of Life, a much talked about movie, that whilst splitting the critics down the middle, was none the less the fourth biggest earner at the box office that year. Sirk's film, amongst other things, had a racially charged thread in it that gave it some added potency. The Crimson Kimono also had a racially charged thread running thru it, but Samuel Fuller's film, it seems, slipped under the radar. Now of course in the modern era of film, Sam Fuller is often name checked by the likes Scorsese & Tarantino as being an influence, while the French New Wavers were quick to laud him as a stylistic influence too. The Crimson Kimono is far from being Fuller's best work, but it is unmistakably a Fuller movie, and one that is a must see for those of a noir/hard-boiled persuasion.Fuller has managed to put a murder mystery at the core of his film and wrap around it a tale of inter-racial tolerance, jealousy and sexual confusion: set deliciously to the backdrops of an urban part of L.A. and the more cosmopolitan Little Tokyo. As he weaves his vision together, never once hitting the viewer over the head with its messages, Fuller neatly plays around with his camera. Up close and personal to his actors, sweeping alongside for walk sequences and scatter-gun shooting for his action scenes (a Kendo fight is an action high point). It's thoughtful film making, the camera puts us in with the story and no scene is wasted, it's all relative, particularly as tensions start to rise between the two best friends and the case starts to unfold.The principal actors are not big names, but all are very credible, and the lack of star power actually benefits the piece by keeping the narrative grounded. While the supporting Anna Lee (How Green Was My Valley) as an alcoholic mother figure type is a joy to watch. Sam Leavitt's (Anatomy of a Murder/The Defiant Ones) photography has it just right, the black & white has a stark look for the street exteriors and the interior focus has that hue of character importance about it. Harry Sukman's music is also worthy of mentioning, blending jazzy beats with oriental flavors, it's well in keeping with the nature of the story.Although there's no cop out in the finale, in fact it's an important and affecting finish as regards the characters, the murder mystery angle close down is a little unfulfilling in context to the mood that has overall been built up. But it's no deal breaker and doesn't detract from what a very good movie The Crimson Kimono is. 8/10

When stripper Sugar Torch disturbs a murder in her dressing room she is chased into the street and gunned down by an unknown assailant. Detectives Charlie Bancroft and Joe Kojaku investigate the only leads they have – the new men in Sugar's life who were to be involved in her new act, embracing teasing, karate and doomed love. Bancroft goes after artist "Chris" who had painted Sugar in full kimono while Kojaku goes after the men who were to be involved in her act. It turns out Chris is Christine and that she is more valuable than they had hoped – problem is, main suspect Hansel knows this too and soon the detectives are guarding her from attempts on her life.A strange film this one. It opens in the sordid world of striptease, continues with the murder of a young woman and leads straight into a police investigation. This suggested it would be a gritty and tough thriller which at times it is, but at other times it plays up the love triangle aspect and then at others seems interested in just showing us a little bit of Asian-American culture. This individual sections do bump up against one another uncomfortably at times but mostly they sit reasonably well as part of the film. The effect is to produce a really interesting film, partly because the mix is unusual and well delivered. The mystery aspect of the plot keeps the narrative flowing along well enough and engaged me even if the ending was a bit convenient and easy.The love triangle part works better than I expected mainly because it uses it to compliment the male characters rather than being about the love part. This allows the two actors (Corbett and Shigeta) to deliver solid characters and play off one another really well. They are not brilliant in regards range but both more than meet the requirements of the material – Shigeta being a bit more able to convince in the love regards as well as the conflict side while Corbett does an all-round solid turn as a tough but friendly cop. As writer Fuller mixes the various aspects really well while also producing a bit of cultural significance in the way that the Asian-American thing is merely a trimming and not the whole show.Overall then a solid film that blends mystery, love, grit and conflict into one story. It doesn't flow perfectly but it is engaging for what it does well and not bad for those aspects it does less well.