Walter Pidgeon was a gentlemanly if wooden actor (he was described as having the temperament of a turtle) who found a real niche for himself supporting Greer Garson in a series of glossy dramas. This is probably his best known solo vehicle and he’s really good – believable as both a gentleman and a hunter (I can see why Fox borrowed him from MGM, it’s hard to imagine Tyrone Power, Don Ameche or Henry Fonda pulling this off). They do put in a line that his character has a place in Canada, presumably to cover any accent slips.
It maybe was a bit too convenient to have Roddy McDowall (who is excellent) agree to help Pigeon get away from Germany just because – in Household’s novel the hunter was helped by opponents to Nazi Germany, which is a lot more believable. Come to think of it, Joan Bennett also helps Pidgeon for no other reason really than its Walter Pidgeon – he could be a rapist for all she and McDowall know!
The relationship between Bennett and Pidgeon is a bit hokey, with overly-emphatic music and a patronising attitude towards Bennett (he calls her a “monkey” several times). Bennett overacts and is hokey but she was entertaining; also surprisingly touching – Bennett has a nice honest face.
The support cast include two of Hollywood’s most effective villains – George Sanders and John Carradine, although Sanders’ monocle was probably not required. (The great thing about the Major in the book was that he was very like Pidgeon; maybe the monocle was a dig at Fritz Lang or something.) Sanders actually says “today, Europe – tomorrow the world.” All the action stuff is exciting: the initial assassination attempt, the fight in the train station, the finale.
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