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Best movie of this year hands down!

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

The acting in this movie is really good.

Copyright 1955. A Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture. New York opening at the Palace: 29 July 1955 (ran two weeks). U.S. release: 19 August 1955. U.K. release: 23 April 1955. Australian release: 6 September 1955. 104 minutes. SYNOPSIS: In 1780, Washington places General Benedict Arnold in charge of the garrison at West Point.COMMENT: Although critics blamed director John Sturges for the lack of tension and suspense in this promising story idea, the blame should have been sheeted home to Karl "Fumble-Fingers" Tunberg who allows the film's central character, Benedict Arnold, to simply disappear after an elaborate (and well-written) introduction. We keep waiting for him to re-enter and then figure in a climactic unmasking and showdown, but he never does. Instead the screenplay focuses on a subsidiary figure, Major John Andre, so pallidly played by Michael Wilding, he allows everyone in sight (except Anne Francis) to steal his scenes. Fortunately, charismatic George Sanders leads the scene-stealers. He is easily the movie's greatest asset. Miss Francis is not only wasted, her part has no point or purpose at all. When the screenplay suddenly decides to bring Major Andre center stage, she simply disappears. As for Mr. Wilde, he is forced to struggle with a role that both he and Sturges (and the movie-going public) knew was quite beyond his range. (It was written for Stewart Granger, but he wisely turned the part down). Despite a lot of money up there on the screen, including its rich production values in costumes, locations and splendid autumnal CinemaScope panoramas, M-G-M was forced to sell "The Scarlet Coat" to exhibitors as a "B" attraction. It was the fourth CinemaScope movie from any studio to lose money. "Jupiter's Darling" was the first casualty, "Bedevilled" was the second loser, "The King's Thief", the third. So strike four for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer!

Although no one should depend on this film for his honor's thesis on the American Revolution. But this account of the foiling of the plot of Benedict Arnold to betray the American Revolution is certainly a fine drama with Cornel Wilde in the lead as an American secret agent who stops the Arnold betrayal of the fort at West Point way before the site became where the U.S. Military Academy is located. Wilde is no James Bond type spy, he's got the charm of an 18th century Bond, but he survives on his wits not any gadgets.The focus on this story is Major John Andre who was the go between for Arnold with the British. Andre is played with the charm and heroic dash that he has come down in history with by Michael Wilding. He's captured but Arnold escapes and joins the British army in the last year of the Revolution. A little too late for the Mother country to put his knowledge to good use.Although I liked this film very much I wish a film would come out with Arnold as the central character instead of Andre. Arnold is played here by Robert Douglas. With some very good reason Arnold felt he was not getting his due from the colonial cause. He may have been a sellout rat, but he was in possession of a brilliant military mind. His second wife Peggy Shippen of Philadelphia who was of Tory sympathies had a lot to do with him selling out the Americans. She's fascinating in herself and we don't see her. Wilde and Wilding are a matched pair of gallant adversaries. I recommend The Scarlet Coat for dash and élan, if not accuracy.

*Spoiler/plot- The Scarlet Coat, 1955. In the American colonies during 1780s, a 'Major John Boulton' is recruited by Colonial intelligence as a counterspy who will fake colonial desertion to the British occupying army. Boulton's mission is to discover the identity of an American traitor with the code name 'Gustavus'. Although a prominent Tory from New York, Dr. Odell suspects Boulton of being a double agent. Boulton wins the friendship and respect of British officer and spy-master, Major John Andre. While doing so, Boulton discovers that the traitor is none other than American hero and General George Washington's friend, General Benedict Arnold. West Point had a raft of barges with massive anchor chain across the river to prevent British navy from going up river to gain an advantage. General Arnold is planning to surrender the key colonial position of West Point to the English. *Special Stars- Cornel Wilde, Michael Wilding, George Sanders, Anne Francis, Robert Douglas, John McIntire, Rhys Williams.*Theme- War is a dirty but honorable business. *Trivia/location/goofs- Color. Goofs:"Blow the Man Down" is heard on the soundtrack during a scene involving the man o' war. The sea shanty was composed anonymously in the 1860s, eighty-odd years after the incidents in this film. Tavern drinks called a 'flip' heated with a hot 'loggerhead' or poker into beer, molasses, and rum.*Emotion- A rich film of drama and intrigue. Interesting bit of historic storytelling from the early 50's during the Cold War.*Based on- The story of General Benedict Arnold.

Another Movie Directed by the Overrated John Sturgess, this is Another Example of the Stiff, Pedestrian, and Wooden Style that Permeated His Pictures. Some of His Films were Popular but were Mostly Driven by "Star Status", like the Great Escape (1963) and The Magnificent Seven (1960). Both those Films are Above Average but Hardly Deserve their Elevated Status as "Classics".This has One Stodgy Scene after Another, the Movie Barely Moves and the Highlights are the Technicolor Cinemascope Postcard Images and some Good, Interesting Dialog. Anne Francis is a Stunning Beauty but doesn't do much, Cornel Wilde is a Dashing Swordsman but is Robotic if Interested most of the time, but the Standout Performance is Michael Wilding as the Central Character of the Piece Maj. John Andre.The Benedict Arnold Hook is Background and this may have the most Unexciting Action Sequences in a War Film Ever. George Sanders is a Slimy, Sharp-Tongued Heavy and is the Second most Interesting Character on Screen. Overall, Worth a Watch but the Film is so Boring it does No Justice to Any of the People, Time, or Place.