The Green Glove (1952)
Directed by Rudolph Maté and written by Charles Bennett, The Green Glove is a stylish crime thriller that blends wartime flashbacks, romantic suspense, and a hunt for a priceless artifact. Shot entirely on location in France and Monaco, the film stars Glenn Ford and Geraldine Brooks, and plays like a transatlantic cousin to The Maltese Falcon and The 39 Steps.
Plot Summary
American paratrooper Mike Blake (Glenn Ford) returns to France after WWII to recover a stolen medieval relic—a jewel-encrusted knight’s gauntlet known as The Green Glove. During the war, Blake had encountered Count Rona (George Macready), a shady art dealer and Nazi collaborator who tried to steal the glove during battle.
Years later, Blake is framed for murder and pursued by Rona’s men, forcing him to go on the run with Christine Kenneth (Geraldine Brooks), a tour guide who becomes his reluctant ally. As they crisscross the French countryside, the mystery deepens, leading to a final confrontation in a village church where the glove is hidden—and where Blake must decide what justice really means.
Cast Highlights
- Glenn Ford as Mike Blake
- Geraldine Brooks as Christine Kenneth
- George Macready as Count Paul Rona
- Cedric Hardwicke as Father Goron
- Gaby André, Jany Holt, and Roger Tréville in supporting roles
Behind-the-Scenes Trivia
- Glenn Ford reportedly fell in love with Geraldine Brooks during filming and briefly considered joining the French Foreign Legion to escape the scandal—until Cedric Hardwicke talked him out of it
- George Macready, who plays the villainous Count Rona, was an art collector in real life, mirroring his character’s obsession
- The weapon Ford carries is a custom folding-stock M1 Carbine, made for U.S. paratroopers
- The film’s black-and-white cinematography was chosen partly to incorporate WWII newsreel footage, and partly due to budget constraints
- Though not a box office hit, the film has gained a cult following for its Hitchcockian tone, European setting, and noir sensibility
