They Met in Bombay

Gerald Meldrick (Clark Gable) and Anya von Duren (Rosalind Russell) are jewel thieves working separately in Mumbai, then known as Bombay, in British-ruled India. He's posing as a Lloyd's of London detective, while she's pretending to be an aristocrat. Both are after a priceless diamond, the Star of Asia, owned by the aging Duchess of Beltravers (Jessie Ralph). When Gerald and Anya meet, neither sees through the other's fake identity, but his amorous curiosity about her soon leads him to figure things out. He tricks her into stealing the jewel, then surrendering it to him to avoid prosecution. She quickly catches on and angrily goes after him, but by then both are being sought by the law. They are forced to team up and flee Bombay, with a dogged police inspector (Matthew Boulton) in hot pursuit. They stow away on a freighter bound for British-ruled Hong Kong, with the connivance of the dishonest captain, Chang, (Peter Lorre). They reach their destination by avoiding Chang's attempt to double-cross them. Meanwhile, on the voyage, the larcenous pair have begun to fall in love.

Gerald, a Canadian who was once in the British military before he turned to a life of crime, obtains an army uniform and assumes the identity of a captain. The couple plan to sneak out of Hong Kong and the British Empire as soon as possible. But their plans are upset when the Japanese invade Kwang-Tung Province, and British troops are mobilized to possibly confront them. Gerald is given the job of evacuating Chaing Ling province. On the way there, he plans to duck out and head off in a car with Anya, so he informs his second-in-command that he will be leaving on a private mission and will put the idealistic young soldier in charge, Gerald believes the evacuation will go smoothly with few problems. At Chaing Ling, Gerald meets the evacuees, Europeans and Chinese. When the evacuation is set, Gerald meets up with Anya at the car she has acquired. But as they prepare to leave, the Japanese arrive in aggressive fashion.

Rather than flee, Gerald stays and confronts the Japanese commander, who forbids him to evacuate the Chinese refugees. Gerald vows to protect them and calls up the Winnipeg Grenadiers to form a barrier between the Japanese and the Chinese evacuees. The Japanese back down and the convoy leaves, with Anya in one of the trucks. But on the road, the Japanese attack, killing many Grenadiers and refugees. With his troops pinned down by Japanese machine guns overlooking the road, Gerald shows resourcefulness and bravery by taking a handful of grenades and racing to outflank the Japanese. He manages to knock out the Japanese position, being wounded in the process. Some days later, having recovered, he waits for release from a British hospital so he and Anya can finally disappear with their stolen diamond. As he leaves to get his things, Anya is seen admiring his uniform.

Gerald is summoned before the battalion, where he is awarded the Victoria Cross for courage by General Allen in a filmed ceremony. Gerald is told that his exploits have become part of British legend, an inspiration for soldiers of the Empire for all time. Gerald is truly moved by this, but is also conflicted about his lies and life of crime. As Gerald is walking out, he is nabbed by the police inspector, who has never given up on catching him. Gerald smiles and appears to give up. The inspector takes Gerald into General Allen's office, where Anya is waiting. General Allen says now knows about Gerald's criminal past, but still sees him as a hero. It turns out that Anya, who has changed her viewpoint on life, is the one who told General Allen and summoned the inspector so Gerald could come clean, take his punishment and start life fresh.

The inspector, who has no sympathy, marches Gerald out, planning to handcuff him once they leave the base. But Gerald, still believed to be an officer by his troops, orders them to arrest the inspector, despite the man's furious protests that they are assisting a criminal. Gerald and Anya get into a military vehicle and leave the army base. The inspector, after being freed, is phoning police from the general's office while the general looks on in amusement. The inspector vows to arrest Gerald whatever it takes. However, as he is leaving the office, Gerald and Anya walk in. Gerald tells the flabbergasted inspector that he could have run out on him, but he couldn't run out on Anya. They inform the inspector that they are married, and they hand him the stolen jewel. The delighted general shakes Gerald's hand. Gerald hands the general his Victoria Cross, and asks the general to keep it for him until he comes back to enlist. The general is very happy to do so, knowing the courts will go easy on the war hero.

Looking at the famed medal for valor, General Allen says: "I would give up the Star of Asia for this any day." Gerald hugs Anya and says, "Yeah, that's what we think, too."

• Clark Gable as Gerald Meldrick
• Rosalind Russell as Anya Von Duren
• Peter Lorre as Captain Chang
• Jessie Ralph as Duchess of Beltravers
• Reginald Owen as General Allen
• Matthew Boulton as Inspector Cressney
• Eduardo Ciannelli as Giovanni Riccio, Hotel Manager (as Edward Ciannelli)
• Luis Alberni as Maitre d'hotel
• Rosina Galli as Carmencita 'Rosa'
• Jay Novello as Bolo
• David Clyde as Sergeant
• Harry Allen as Soldier in Saloon (uncredited)
• Philip Ahn as Japanese officer (uncredited)

Gable was planning to star with Lana Turner as Anya Von Duren in The Uniform in December 1940.[4] Turner was eventually replaced by Russell, and the film was released as They Met in Bombay.

According to MGM records, the film earned $1,554,000 in the United States and Canada and $961,000 elsewhere resulting in a profit of $350,000.[1]

• They Met in Bombay on IMDb
• They Met in Bombay at AllMovie
• They Met in Bombay at the TCM Movie Database
• They Met in Bombay at the American Film Institute Catalog