They Met in Bombay is a 1941 American adventure romantic comedy-drama directed by Clarence Brown and starring Hollywood legends Clark Gable and Rosalind Russell. Produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the film is an upscale heist-adventure set against the backdrop of Asia right at the onset of World War II. [1, 2, 3]
🎬 Production & Release Overview
- Release Date: June 27, 1941
- Running Time: 92 minutes
- Budget: $1.38 million
- Box Office: $2.51 million ($350,000 net profit for MGM)
- Filming Locations: Despite its exotic Eastern settings, the movie was filmed entirely in California, including Calabasas, the Malibu Hills, and the Alhambra Airport. [1, 2]
📜 Plot Summary
The story follows Gerald Meldrick (Clark Gable), a dashing international jewel thief posing as a Lloyd's of London insurance agent, and Anya Von Duren (Rosalind Russell), a clever con artist pretending to be an aristocratic friend of royalty. Both are independently targeting the same lucrative prize: a magnificent diamond necklace known as the "Star of Asia," belonging to the wealthy Duchess of Beltravers. [1, 2, 3]
Initially trying to outsmart and double-cross one another, the rival criminals are forced by circumstance to partner up to execute the heist. Their escape plan leads them onto a cargo ship bound for Hong Kong, operated by a shifty, mercenary captain named Captain Chang (Peter Lorre). Complications peak when Meldrick unintentionally transforms into a hero by disguising himself as a British military major during a wartime evacuation amid the invading Japanese army. [1, 2, 3, 4]
👥 Primary Cast & Crew
- Clark Gable as Gerald Meldrick
- Rosalind Russell as Anya Von Duren (Originally planned for Lana Turner before casting changes)
- Peter Lorre as Captain Chang
- Jessie Ralph as Duchess of Beltravers
- Reginald Owen as General Allen
- Screenplay: Written by Edwin Justus Mayer, Anita Loos, and Leon Gordon, based on an original story by John H. Kafka. [1]
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Wikipedia
They Met in Bombay is a 1941 American adventure drama film starring Clark Gable, Cast Clark Gable as Gerald Meldrick Rosalind ・ th...
IMDb
A jewel thief and a con artist are rivals in the theft of a valuable gem as the Japanese army invades China.A
Turner Classic Movies
But their true identities are soon revealed; they're both jewel thieves after the same haul - a necklace called the Star of Asia t...
