Directed by Frank Lloyd and starring James Cagney and Sylvia Sidney, Blood on the Sun is a taut, patriotic spy thriller set in pre–World War II Tokyo. Released during the final months of the war, the film dramatizes the discovery of the Tanaka Memorial, a controversial document allegedly outlining Japan’s plan for global conquest.
Plot Summary
Nick Condon (Cagney) is the hard-nosed editor of the Tokyo Chronicle, an American-run newspaper in Japan. When one of his reporters uncovers the Tanaka Memorial, a secret plan attributed to Prime Minister Baron Giichi Tanaka, Nick publishes a summary—sparking outrage from Japanese authorities.
As the secret police close in, Nick becomes entangled with Iris Hilliard (Sidney), a mysterious woman with ties to both the Japanese government and the liberal resistance. Murders, betrayals, and tense confrontations follow as Nick fights to smuggle the document out of Japan and expose the truth to the world.
Cast Highlights
- James Cagney as Nick Condon
- Sylvia Sidney as Iris Hilliard
- John Emery as Baron Tanaka
- Robert Armstrong, Wallace Ford, and Porter Hall in supporting roles
Behind-the-Scenes Trivia
- Cagney and Sidney reportedly chatted in Yiddish between takes, a nod to their shared heritage
- The film won the Academy Award for Best Art Direction (Black & White) in 1945
- The Tanaka Memorial was widely believed to be a forgery, first published by Chinese communists and later in U.S. periodicals
- The film’s climax features Cagney in a judo fight, showcasing his physicality and stage combat skills
- The story unfolds in 1929, with portraits of Herbert Hoover and Emperor Hirohito anchoring the historical setting
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