This Cold War movie, set in Hawaii and starring John Wayne and James Arness, is called Big Jim McLain. The film was not very popular: one critic on trusted review website Rotten Tomatoes describes the film as "a pathetic anti-Communist propaganda film with a snarling John Wayne at his ugliest."
About John Wayne and James Arness
John Wayne and James Arness were close friends, and starred together in four movies: Big Jim McLain, Hondo, Island in the Sky, and The Sea Chase. Both actors are best known for their work in the Western genre.
Big Jim McLain
Big Jim McLain is a political thriller, released in 1952 and directed by Edward Ludwig. The film co-stars John Wayne and James Arness as HUAC investigators Jim McLain (Wayne) and Mal Baxter (Arness) who attempt to break up a subversive Communist organization in Hawaii. The film also stars Nancy Olson (of Sunset Boulevard fame) as Nancy Vallon, McLain's love interest.
In some European countries, changes were made to the script through dubbing, and the movie was released under the title Marijuana, with the villains being drug dealers rather than Communists.
