Forbidden Cargo [1954] [DVD]

After a successful operation against drink smugglers, Customs and Excise get wind of a planned large illegal drug shipment. An Agent is sent to Cannes to follow the brother and sister apparently involved, though he starts to get rather closer to the attractive young lady than planned. The trail leads via a fashion house to a freighter bound for the Pool of London, and the net starts to close in. ~ imdb

Top review: It doesn't give much indication in the beginning of what is to be, but after the first smuggling incident with the bird woman, an interesting drama starts to build up. Nigel Patrick is the elegant investigator, who soon finds himself up against a professional team of gangsters, where Theodore Bikel has a key role, first appearing as a charming musician with his honeyed voice. No one can suspect anything about what this intriguing character actually is working with, while Jack Warner on his way to alcoholism alarmingly reacts against him from the start, which should raise the suspicion that he feels stuck in a racket that he cannot handle. It is difficult to suspect his sister Elizabeth Sellers of having any part of it, and she actually ultimately saves or tries to save the situation. There are some impressing diving sequences as well, but the main thing is the very intelligent plot and story. It's a great and efficient criminal drama of drug traffic in the early 50s and certainly much ahead of its time.