Performance & Direction: The Bribe Review
Last updated: January 21, 2026
Quick Verdict: Hit or Flop?
Is The Bribe (1949) worth watching? According to our cinematic analysis, the film stands as a ABOVE AVERAGE with a verified audience rating of 6.2/10. Whether you're looking for the box office collection, ending explained, or parents guide, our review covers everything you need to know about this Crime.
Cast Performances: A Masterclass
The success of any Crime is often anchored by its ensemble, and The Bribe features a noteworthy lineup led by Robert Taylor . Supported by the likes of Ava Gardner and Charles Laughton , the performances bring a palpable realism to the scripted words.
Performance Analysis: While the cast delivers competent and professional performances, they are occasionally hampered by a script that leans into familiar archetypes.
Final Verdict: Is it Worth Watching?
In summary, our editorial assessment of The Bribe (1949) is mixed. With an audience rating of 6.2/10, it stands as a highly recommended experience for genre enthusiasts.
Story & Plot Summary: The Bribe
Quick Plot Summary: The Bribe is a Crime, Drama, Thriller film that dives into the criminal underworld with a grounded sense of realism and complex morality. This summary provides a scannable look at the movie's central conflict and narrative structure.
Ending Explained: The Bribe
Ending Breakdown: The Bribe concludes its story with a mix of closure and open interpretation. The finale presents its approach to crime resolution.
The final reveal recontextualizes earlier scenes, offering viewers material for post-viewing discussion.
Ending Analysis:
- Narrative Resolution: The story concludes by addressing its primary narrative threads, providing closure while maintaining some ambiguity.
- Character Arcs: Character journeys reach their narrative endpoints, reflecting the film's thematic priorities.
- Thematic Payoff: The ending reinforces the crime themes established throughout the runtime.
The final moments of The Bribe reflect the filmmakers' creative choices, offering an ending that aligns with the film's tone and style.
The Bribe Real vs. Reel: Is it Based on a True Story?
The Bribe incorporates elements from real criminal cases. As a crime, drama, thriller film, it navigates the space between factual accuracy and narrative engagement.
Historical Context
The film takes creative liberties to enhance dramatic impact. Core events maintain connection to source material while adapting for theatrical presentation.
Creative interpretation shapes the final narrative, focusing on emotional truth over strict chronology.
Accuracy Assessment: The Bribe adapts its source material for dramatic purposes. The film prioritizes thematic resonance over documentary precision.
Who Should Watch The Bribe?
Worth Watching If You:
- Enjoy Crime films and don't mind familiar tropes
- Are a fan of the cast or director
- Want solid genre entertainment
Top Cast: The Bribe
All Cast & Crew →
The Bribe Parents Guide & Age Rating
1949 AdvisoryWondering about The Bribe age rating or if it's safe for kids? Here is our cinematic advisory:
⏱️ Runtime & Duration
The total runtime of The Bribe is 98 minutes (1h 38m). Ensuring you have enough time for the full cinematic experience.
Final Verdict
Analyzing the audience sentiment, IMDb rating of 6.2/10, and global collection metrics, The Bribe stands as a challenging project for the creators. It remains an essential piece of the 1949 cinematic year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Bribe worth watching?
The Bribe is definitely worth watching if you enjoy Crime movies. It has a verified rating of 6.2/10 and stands as a ABOVE AVERAGE in our box office analysis.
Where can I find The Bribe parents guide and age rating?
The official parents guide for The Bribe identifies it as Not Rated. Our detailed advisory section above covers all content warnings for families.
What is the total runtime of The Bribe?
The total duration of The Bribe is 98 minutes, which is approximately 1h 38m long.
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Critic Reviews for The Bribe
I never knew a crooked road could look so straight. The Bribe is directed by Robert Z. Leonard and written by Marguerite Roberts. It stars Robert Taylor, Ava Gardner, Charles Laughton, Vincent Price and John Hodiak. Music is by Miklós Rózsa and cinematography by Joseph Ruttenberg. Federal agent Rigby (Taylor) is assigned to the island of Carlotta to investigate the illegal trafficking of war-surplus aircraft parts. He quickly finds out that it's not just the weather that is hot... Frustrating! Out of MGM, The Bribe bites off more than it can chew. On one hand you have a cast guaranteed to either make you swoon or hiss at, on the other it's a cheaply staged production coasting on the star power and high end technical credits. Everything about the piece screams out that the execs put all the money into the casting, the hiring of a master musical composer and a cinematographer of some standing. On the page, the realisation of such, it's laborious, needlessly convoluted and really rather dull. It's no surprise to find during research that Taylor himself felt it was one of the worst films he ever made! It all looks so fake, from the crude back screen projections and spliced scenes from elsewhere, to the backlot set that looks about as close to a warm tropical island as an igloo does. On the plus side is Ruttenberg's photography, superb in contrasts and shadowy whiles (the slats are amazing), while Taylor's dry narration really engages, it's these aspects that explains why the film has found its way into some film noir bibles. Gardner and Taylor sizzle with sexuality, their on screen affair being played out for real off screen - much to the consternation of one Barbara Stanwyck. Laughton sweats and limps a lot whilst making a weasel look honourable, Price does the twirling moustache villainy he was so great at, while Hodiak shows good pathos as a drunk clearly in over his head with all aspects of his life. Fans of the stars get good value, but this has to go down as a wasted opportunity. It failed at the box office and ultimately - in spite of some splendid film noir tints - it's not hard to see why. 5.5/10
movieMx Verified
This review has been verified for accuracy and editorial quality by our senior cinematic analysts.
This analysis is compiled by our editorial experts using multi-source verification and audience sentiment data for maximum accuracy.
