Movie review - "Five Graves to Cairo" (1943) **** (warning: spoilers)

 Often overlooked in discussions of Wilder - it's a war propaganda film, has second tier stars, quite simple (mostly taking place in one location, a hotel), but is full of clever twists and plenty of story. It's a film of plot rather than character - I don't mind Franchot Tone but who is he playing? A rogue? Stock guy? He doesn't have the star persona to carry off playing himself (cf someone like Cary Grant).  Akim Tamiroff underplays, von Stroheim offers some star pizzaz, it's a clever story, I like it how Anne Baxter died it gave the piece some emotional weight. Visual flourishes too like opening with Tone passed out in a driving tank.