Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s wartime films were notable for the number of sympathetic German characters – none more so than this. Conrad Veidt is a brave, decent, smart German submarine captain who leads a plot to attack the British fleet in the Orkneys during World War I. He works with two British traitors, one a disgraced sea captain (someone called Sebastian Shaw – a bland anonymous type), the other an agent impersonating a school teacher (Valerie Hobson). Veidt falls for Hobson but then around two thirds of the way in we discover she and the guy are actually British agents. Veidt rallies himself and almost pulls off a coup. He’s really the most admirable person in the film.
I thought Valerie Hobson was bad in Bride of Frankenstein but she’s really good here and Veidt is a different sort of villain. (Britain was supposed to be an insular society in the 30s and 40s but they had a number of "foreign" stars eg Veidt, Anton Woolbrook.
I thought Valerie Hobson was bad in Bride of Frankenstein but she’s really good here and Veidt is a different sort of villain. (Britain was supposed to be an insular society in the 30s and 40s but they had a number of "foreign" stars eg Veidt, Anton Woolbrook.
It’s enormously enjoyable, very well made, with skilled used of location/stock footage, a creepy atmosphere and solid performances. The last third, where Shaw is heroic, is less fun - you find yourself feeling sorry for Veidt because he's fallen in love with Hobson. It’s a long time for us to think the leads are baddies.
NB Incidentally no one seems to comment that this film owes a considerable debt to Dark Journey, another World War I spy tale with Conrad Veidt and a sexy, class dame (in that case Vivien Leigh) from Alex Korda.
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