Where Was The Bribe Filmed? A Classic Crime Drama Flick From 1949!!

Classic films hardly disappoint! So if you’re looking for a classic film to watch this weekend, then continue to follow this article till the end. As today, I will acquaint you with an astonishing crime drama flick from 1949, The Bribe. Plus, later in this article, I will also let you in on where was The Bribe filmed.

The American crime drama film, The Bribe, released in 1949 was adapted from a novel by Frederick Nebel, published 2 years prior to the film. Robert Z. Leonard masterfully depicts the romantic story of an American spy in this crime-mystery film. The story revolves around the character of an undercover detective Rigby, on a mission to retrieve the whereabouts of a notorious criminal gang in Central America.

The Bribe barely managed to leave a mark at the box office, by narrowly surpassing the filming budget of $1.9 million in global collections. This intense drama film was released in two languages, namely English & Spanish, to cater to a wide variety of audiences. However, The Bribe ceased to entice its viewers and critics due to the lack of cohesion in its story.

Now, before you go on to read the brief overview of The Bribe, formulate your opinion. Let’s explore where was The Bribe filmed so that you can take a closer look at the filming locations.

Where Was The Bribe Filmed? Let’s Know This Crime Drama Film Closely!

The makers of The Bribe initially intended to shoot the entire film in and around the exotic islands of the Caribbean. However, after reviewing the filming budget, the production team decided to portray the breathtaking scenes using a make-believe set in MGM Studios.

After the cast members were selected, they were asked to attend a 3-week special-training class, by director Leonard. During this time Leonard taught the actors certain dialects and mannerisms of the islanders. Soon, the principal photography commenced in the summer of 1948 and was completed in 3 months’ time. The extended filming schedule was owed to the inefficiency of the members in constructing and later dismantling different sets inside the same studio. Now, without waiting any longer, let’s have a detailed discussion about where was The Bribe filmed, and find out about more interesting facts which took place during filming in California.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, California | USA

The opening scene of the film, where we see the character of Rigby preparing for his departure to Carlotta, was filmed inside a dummy set inside the MGM studios. The filming crew constructed the set to depict the fictional island of Carlotta, located on the beautiful coastline of Central America. 

After the initial sequences were captured, the crew had to dismantle the previous set and make a new one to capture the remaining sequences. As the production unit was operating on a single sound stage, this task became extremely difficult to achieve while staying on top of the filming dates at the same time. Naturally, the filming schedule was delayed, but the background came out perfect and could hardly be distinguished from the real location.

Other pivotal sequences depicting Rigby’s investigation on the island were also filmed here. Shooting went on for 3 long months capturing all the necessary sequences inside Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, located at 1020 West Washington Blvd, Culver City. The unit members then started working on post-production after the completion of the entire shooting.

Now, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios over the years has served to be the best spot for recreating different backgrounds for a number of top Hollywood movies. At the same time, it has somehow lost the same amount of popularity amongst filmmakers as compared to Universal Studios and Fox Studios.

But something which remains intact, in terms of popularity amongst tourists are some absolutely breathtaking places in California. So if you’re planning to visit the beautiful state of California this winter, then you can certainly look into these places, such as San Diego, Yosemite National Park, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Disneyland Park and Sacramento. These mentioned travel destinations are often visited by a number of tourists from all around the globe during the holiday season.

Alright friends, now allow me to discuss the plot of The Bribe, so that you can get a better idea about the actual storyline of this film. Meanwhile, you can also check out Boy Meets World, Frasier and Breaking Bad which I think you’d enjoy watching as well.

Plot Of The Bribe | What’s It About

The basic premise of The Bribe revolves around the character of Rigby, an American federal agent tasked to catch the criminal mastermind of a notorious Central American gang. The film opens by acquainting us with the male lead character, taking special instruction from higher officials at a hidden government facility. 

Soon, after taking the special-briefing Rigby prepares for his journey to the island of Corollata. Later in the film, as the lead actor sets foot on the beautiful island, he readily begins searching for an informant to establish contact with the crime lord. Eventually, when Rigby navigates his way to Hintenn’s lair, the lead actor finds himself honey-trapped by Elizabeth the wife of the crime lord. In order to know what happens next, you’d have to watch this film!

Final Words

Ok guys, now that you’ve gone through the plot and know where was The Bribe filmed. I hope you are satisfied with the given information and thoroughly enjoyed the read. Do let us know about your thoughts in the comments section below and be sure to check out other entertaining articles on Viebly.