''Burma Convoy'' is a 1941 American

war film War film is a film genre concerned with warfare, typically about navy, naval, air force, air, or army, land battles, with combat scenes central to the drama. It has been strongly associated with the 20th century. The fateful nature of battle s ...

directed by Noel M. Smith and starring

Charles Bickford Charles Ambrose Bickford (January 1, 1891 – November 9, 1967) was an American actor known for supporting roles. He was nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for '' The Song of Bernadette'' (1943), '' The Fa ...

Evelyn Ankers Evelyn Felisa Ankers (August 17, 1918 – August 29, 1985) was a British-American actress who often played variations on the role of the cultured young leading lady in many American horror films during the 1940s, most notably '' The Wolf Man'' ( ...

and

Frank Albertson Francis Healey Albertson (February 2, 1909 – February 29, 1964) was an American actor who had supporting roles in films such as '' It's a Wonderful Life'' (1946) and '' Psycho'' (1960). Early life Albertson was a native of Fergus Fall ...

. Produced and distributed by

Universal Pictures Universal City Studios LLC, doing business as Universal Pictures (also known as Universal Studios or simply Universal), is an American filmmaking, film production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered at the 10 Universal Ci ...

as a

second feature A B movie, or B film, is a type of cheap, low-budget commercial motion picture. Originally, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, this term specifically referred to films meant to be shown as the lesser-known second half of a double feature, s ...

, it is about a truck convoy on the

Burma Road The Burma Road () was a road linking Burma (now known as Myanmar) with southwest China. Its terminals were Lashio, Burma, in the south and Kunming, China, the capital of Yunnan province in the north. It was built in 1937–1938 while Burm ...

. It was also known by the

alternative title An alternative title is a media sales device most prominently used in film distribution. Books and films are commonly released under a different title when they are screened or sold in a different country. This can vary from small change to the ...

''Halfway to Shanghai''.

Plot

In the Burmese town of Lashio, the convoys of an American transport company keep being attacked. Head driver is Cliff Weldon. His brother Mike comes to visit. They deal with a Eurasian spy, a Chinese agent and enemy attacks.

Cast

as Cliff Weldon *

as Ann McBragel *

as Mike Weldon *

Cecil Kellaway Cecil Lauriston Kellaway (22 August 1890 – 28 February 1973) was a South African character actor. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor twice, for '' The Luck of the Irish'' (1948) and ''Guess Who's Coming to Dinner' ...

as Angus McBragel *

Willie Fung Willie Fung (3 March 1896 – 16 April 1945) was a Chinese-American film actor who played supporting roles in 125 American films from 1922 to 1944. Like many Chinese actors working in Hollywood during the era, he often played Japanese characters ...

as Smitty *

Keye Luke Keye Luke (; June 18, 1904 – January 12, 1991) was a Chinese-born American actor, and a founding member of the Screen Actors Guild. He portrayed Lee Chan, the "Number One Son" in the Charlie Chan films, the original Kato in the 1939–1941 ...

as Lin Taiyen *

Turhan Bey Turhan Bey (born Turhan Gilbert Selahattin Şahultavi, 30 March 192230 September 2012). was an Austrian-born actor of Turkish and Czech-Jewish origins. Active in Hollywood from 1941 to 1953, he was dubbed "The Turkish Delight" by his fans.. Aft ...

as Mr. Yuchau * Truman Bradley as Victor Harrison *

Ken Christy Robert Kenneth Christy (November 23, 1894 – July 23, 1962) was an American television, film, and radio character actor. Early life Robert Kenneth Christy was born on November 23, 1964, in Greenville, Pennsylvania, to Laura E Christy (n� ...

as Hank * C. Montague Shaw as Major Hart *

Harry Stubbs Harry Oakes Stubbs (December 7, 1874 – May 9, 1950) was an English-born American character actor, who appeared both on Broadway and in films. He was born on December 7, 1874, in Southampton, Hampshire, England. Stubbs immigrated from England ...

as Hubert *

Chester Gan Chester Gan (1908-1959) was an American character actor of Chinese descent who worked in Hollywood from the 1930s through the 1950s. Biography Chester Gan was born in Grass Valley, California Grass Valley is a city in Nevada County, Cali ...

as Keela * Vyola Vonn as Mazie *

Eddie Lee Eddie Lee (July 28, 1899 – August 20, 1979) was a character actor from the 1930s through the 1950s. Of Asian descent, he played mainly bit parts such as cooks and soldiers. While most of his over 80 roles were uncredited, he did have a f ...

as Leon *

Dorothy Vaughan Dorothy Jean Johnson Vaughan (September 20, 1910 – November 10, 2008) was an American mathematician and human computer who worked for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), and NASA, at Langley Research Center in Hampton, ...

as Mrs. Hubert *Grace Lem as Mrs. Wong Lee *Dave Thursby as Constable *

Duke York Duke York ( Charles Everest Sinsabaugh; October 17, 1908January 24, 1952), was an American film actor and stuntman who appeared in nearly 160 films between 1932 and 1952. He was also known as Duke Owl. Early years The son of Mr. and Mrs. Floyd ...

as Bartender *Loo Loy as Rebel leader

Production

The film was announced in April 1941 as ''Halfway to Shanghai''. It was an early lead role for

who had joined the studio after being on stage in ''Ladies in Retirement''. Filming took place in April and May 1941. The film was one of a number being set in the

around this time, others including ''

A Yank on the Burma Road ''A Yank on the Burma Road'' is a 1942 drama film directed by George B. Seitz and starring Laraine Day, Barry Nelson and Keye Luke. It is also known as ''China Caravan'' and ''Yanks on the Burma Road''. It was produced as part of a cluster of ...

'', ''

'' and '' Over the Burma Road'', with the latter two not being filmed.

Reception

The ''New York Times'' thought the film was "too tame".At the Rialto T.M.P.. New York Times 7 Oct 1941: 26.

References

External links

*
''Burma Convoy''
at BFI
''Burma Convoy''
at Letterbox DVD 1941 films Trucker films 1941 adventure films American black-and-white films Films set in Myanmar Universal Pictures films American adventure films 1940s English-language films Films directed by Noel M. Smith 1940s American films American World War II films English-language adventure films {{1940s-adventure-film-stub