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IMDbPro

Big Jim McLain

  • 19521952
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
5.2/10
2.1K
YOUR RATING
John Wayne and Nancy Olson in Big Jim McLain (1952)
In the post-war Hawaii, House Un-American Activities Committee investigators Jim McLain and Mal Baxter hunt down Communists.
Play trailer2:47
1 Video
15 Photos
  • Crime
  • Drama
  • History
In the post-war Hawaii, House Un-American Activities Committee investigators Jim McLain and Mal Baxter hunt down Communists.In the post-war Hawaii, House Un-American Activities Committee investigators Jim McLain and Mal Baxter hunt down Communists.In the post-war Hawaii, House Un-American Activities Committee investigators Jim McLain and Mal Baxter hunt down Communists.
IMDb RATING
5.2/10
2.1K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Edward Ludwig
  • Writers
    • Stephen Vincent Benet(quotes from "The Devil And Dan'l Webster")
    • James Edward Grant
    • Richard English(short story)
  • Stars
    • John Wayne
    • Nancy Olson
    • James Arness
Top credits
  • Director
    • Edward Ludwig
  • Writers
    • Stephen Vincent Benet(quotes from "The Devil And Dan'l Webster")
    • James Edward Grant
    • Richard English(short story)
  • Stars
    • John Wayne
    • Nancy Olson
    • James Arness
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 48User reviews
    • 10Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:47
    Official Trailer

    Photos15

    John Wayne and Nancy Olson in Big Jim McLain (1952)
    John Wayne in Big Jim McLain (1952)
    John Wayne and James Arness in Big Jim McLain (1952)
    John Wayne, Hans Conried, and Nancy Olson in Big Jim McLain (1952)
    John Wayne and Nancy Olson in Big Jim McLain (1952)
    John Wayne and Nancy Olson during the filming of "Big Jim McLain," Warner Bros. 1952.
    John Wayne in Big Jim McLain (1952)
    John Wayne in Big Jim McLain (1952)
    John Wayne in Big Jim McLain (1952)
    John Wayne and Nancy Olson in Big Jim McLain (1952)
    John Wayne and Nancy Olson in Big Jim McLain (1952)
    John Wayne in Big Jim McLain (1952)

    Top cast

    Edit
    John Wayne
    John Wayne
    • Jim McLainas Jim McLain
    Nancy Olson
    Nancy Olson
    • Nancy Vallonas Nancy Vallon
    James Arness
    James Arness
    • Mal Baxteras Mal Baxter
    Alan Napier
    Alan Napier
    • Sturakas Sturak
    Veda Ann Borg
    Veda Ann Borg
    • Madgeas Madge
    Hans Conried
    Hans Conried
    • Robert Henriedas Robert Henried
    Hal Baylor
    Hal Baylor
    • Pokeas Poke
    Gayne Whitman
    Gayne Whitman
    • Dr. Gelsteras Dr. Gelster
    Gordon Jones
    Gordon Jones
    • Olafas Olaf
    Robert Keys
    • Edwin Whiteas Edwin White
    John Hubbard
    John Hubbard
    • Lt. Cmdr. Clint Greyas Lt. Cmdr. Clint Grey
    Soo Yong
    Soo Yong
    • Mrs. Namakaas Mrs. Namaka
    • (as Madame Soo Yong)
    Dan Liu
    • Dan Liu - Honolulu Chief of Policeas Dan Liu - Honolulu Chief of Police
    • (as Honolulu Chief Of Police Dan Liu)
    Paul Hurst
    Paul Hurst
    • Mr. Lexiteras Mr. Lexiter
    Vernon 'Red' McQueen
    • Phil Briggsas Phil Briggs
    • (as Red McQueen)
    Sarah Padden
    Sarah Padden
    • Mrs. Lexiteras Mrs. Lexiter
    • (as Sara Padden)
    Kinko 'Lucky' Simunovich
    • Muscle Manas Muscle Man
    Kinai Ikuma
    • Reverend Itoas Reverend Ito
    • (as Bishop Kinai Ikuma)
    • Director
      • Edward Ludwig
    • Writers
      • Stephen Vincent Benet(quotes from "The Devil And Dan'l Webster")
      • James Edward Grant
      • Richard English(short story)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The German title is "Mathuana". In this dubbed version for the German market, John Wayne played a hunter of marijuana smugglers, not an investigator for the Un-American Activities Committee ferreting out Communists, as in the original film.
    • Goofs
      Jim states that the USS Arizona "is still carried on Navy lists as a fighting ship of the line." The Arizona was actually officially struck from the Navy Vessel Register in December 1942.
    • Quotes

      Jim McLain: Lot of wonderful things written into our constitution that were meant for honest decent citizens. I resent the fact that it can be used and abused by the very people who want to destroy it.

    • Crazy credits
      Closing credits epilogue: The Incidents in this motion picture are based on the files of the Committee on Un-American Activities, House of Representatives, Congress of the United States. Names and places have been changed. We gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of this Committee.
    • Alternate versions
      The version released in Italy and some other European countries is retitled Marijuana and has John Wayne chasing drug smugglers instead of communists.
    • Connections
      Featured in The John Wayne Anthology (1991)
    • Soundtracks
      Isle of Kuualoha
      (uncredited)

      Music by Robert Wiley Miller

      Lyrics by Roc Hillman

      Performed by Tani Marsh

    User reviews48

    Review
    Top review
    5/10
    A more gentlemanly John Wayne
    John Wayne (in ties and jackets!) ferrets out Commies in post-WWII Hawaii along with strapping partner James Arness. For a movie so obviously filled with swaggering machismo, the overall results of "Big Jim McLain" are fairly tame, with just a scene or two of fisticuffs outnumbered by the romantic clinches between the Duke and Nancy Olson (who moves quickly). Archie Stout's black-and-white cinematography isn't expressive (the budget here doesn't seem large enough for expressive), and yet his silvery shots of the tropics in all their '50s splendor are memorable. As for Wayne, he walks through the whole thing rather sheepishly; Jim McLain isn't much of a character, and Wayne doesn't look like he's anxious to find one in the writing. The flag-waving, Purple Heart-patriotic drama at hand is tidied up very quickly, and yet the film is directed with an easy-going pace by Edward Ludwig. The title was changed for release around the globe (most often due to redubbing to remove the Communist plotting): in Germany and Austria, it was called "Marihuana"; in Mexico and Chile, it was "Intrigue in Honolulu". ** from ****
    helpful•34
    17
    • moonspinner55
    • Dec 22, 2004

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 30, 1952 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Marihuana
    • Filming locations
      • Moloka'i, Hawaii, USA
    • Production company
      • Wayne-Fellows Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $826,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 30 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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