Good concept, poorly executed.

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

The acting in this movie is really good.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

*Spoiler/plot- 1945, An independent and famous American newspaper reporter and investigative journalist stationed in Tokyo Japan gets mixed up in a spy ring and the Imperial secret police. A beautiful spy becomes his friend.*Special Stars- James Cagney, Sylvia Sidney, John Halloran *Theme- Americans are always on the side of truth and fair play.*Trivia/location/goofs- Vintage Warner Brothers studio movie supporting the war effort. Bette Davis was instrumental in influencing Jack Warner to become more active in the studio War effort. Plot loosely based on a real event in the 20's called the Tanaka Memorandum.*Emotion- An enjoyable but rather 'dated' war film with raucous, irreverent all American tough-guy newspaper reporter and investigative journalist played by Jimmy Cagney. There is plenty of action, intrigue and colorful clichés' about the Japanese culture.

James Cagney always has been one of my all time favorite actors, this was one of his first independent movies out of a big studio. This time James Cagney is an American journalist who lives in Tokio and must face to the fascism and stop the Japanese government plans..This film is also pioneer for be the first north American movie in have a martial arts fight in it and I dare to say that also one of the best..Cagney was a judo black belt and he was an amateur boxer, so his fight skills looks pretty good in front of the camera..in my opinion blood on the sun is an underrated film, very enjoyable, with great performances in which the star James Cagney shines in a special light

American newspaperman Nick Condon (James Cagney) who is based in Tokyo sets out to expose the imperial plans of a faction of the Japanese government prior to outbreak of WWII. The story is based on an historical incident, but the document in question is now believed by most to have been a forgery. The document supposedly outlined a plan to conquer China and eventually the United States.Condon who has already been critical of the militarist faction in the Japanese government comes into possession of the Tanaka document but before he can expose its contents he needs to get out of Japan though the authorities are watching him very closely. A half Chinese woman (Sylvia Sidney) ostensibly assisting the authorities in their investigation serves as both an ally and a love interest for Condon. The Japanese characters for the most part are thinly sketched and include historical figures such as Giichi Tanaka and Hideki Tojo.James Cagney is moderately successful in his role and Sylvia Sidney is adequate but neither they nor the capable supporting cast deliver any memorable performances. In addition the film had an Oscar winning director in Frank Lloyd and a score by Oscar winning composer Miklós Rózsa but they also fail to deliver anything noteworthy. Despite some solid components there is just not anything very compelling here.The film license unfortunately lapsed and it seems most versions of this film available including the one I watched have been colorized from the original Black and White.Obviously as with all films it is a product of its time; having been made in 1945 and in that context the film is not excessively racist though it is present and certainly does reflect a patriotic American point of view from that era. The common Japanese people are treated fairly well as are aspects of the culture, Condon uses Judo several times in the film.Most of the primary Japanese characters in the film are played by Caucasian actors while some of the supporting cast is actually oriental.

The Plot is confusing. The Asian/American??? girl's role is deliberately misleading. The romance, I'm sure was tailored after Casablanca including the ending, but doesn't work. Cagney is no Bogart. If there was a precondition for the romance as there was in Casablanca "Remember we'll always have Paris", I missed it. For the two of them to meet, fall in love and make love Yes they followed the convention of the time showing them in a deep kiss, breaking to a long dark transition, then showing them engaged in a serious post coital discussion; not a tie disturbed. Quaint, but unbelievable. There are several continuity errors, as others have discussed, but I find the most troubling discontinuity is the actual plot. Given the amount of time since its release in 1945, the action is acceptable and the tone respectful. It's not propaganda, it's supposed to be an Asian Casablanca. I guess they needed a piano player and a catchy song.