I Was an American Spy

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Steve D More melodramatic infomercial than real film. Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 06/23/23 Full Review thomas w True story of American entertainer of Filipino descent, Claire Phillips, born in Detroit and raised in Portland, Oregon, who found herself in the Philippines when the Japanese invaded on 8 December, 1941, the day after their attack on Pearl Harbor. Masquerading as a sympathizer to the Japanese war effort, she ran a nightclub frequented by Japanese officers, passing along information she gleaned to American-led Filipino guerrilla forces, as well as smuggling food, medicine and money (with which to bribe guards) in to POWs being held by the Japanese. Her code name was "High Pockets" because of her habit of slipping tips and messages down into her bra. Because of her heroic efforts, she was awarded America's highest civilian award, "The Medal of Freedom," by President Truman. It's a low-budget movie, and its stars may not be A-listers, but the fact that this is a true story that sticks fairly close to the facts makes this move very watchable. Give it a chance. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member based on a true story Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Audience Member I honestly don't know how to rate the movie, but this can be decent viewing for those who want something old-fashioned. The story is true: Claire Phillips, who lives in Manila, falls in love and gets married with her husband, Johnny, but he must serve in the new war that's embroiling as a result of the attacks in Pearl Harbor. He, however, becomes a dead POW. To avenge his death, she becomes a spy by running a nightclub, the place where she smuggles supplies to American POW's through Filipino guerillas. Eventually, the Japanese figure out, and she is imprisoned. But in the end, she escapes and is presented with a medal by the presidential representative for her courage. Yay! It's somewhat boring, but has touches of excitement, romance, and emotion. I actually find the idea intriguing, one working for America amidst the political trappings of Japanese occupation. Plus, Ann Dvorak is a great actress emiting sheer bravura. As I can see, this is surprisingly an obscure film. But, thanks to TCM, this movie will hopefully be better known in the future. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review Audience Member Madame Tsubaki Claire Phillips/Dorothy Fuentes infiltrates Japanese high command and causes trouble for the Axis. Rated 0.5/5 Stars •  Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 02/20/23 Full Review Read all reviews

I Was an American Spy

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