It now seems beyond belief that in the years leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbour, films in Hollywood with strong anti-Nazi themes were discouraged so as not to offend the Germans!
This first feature of Jules Dassin represents one of the early 'message films' designed to induce a sense of paranoia in American audiences which had the salutary effect of keeping them on their guard against Nazi espionage activity. It also happens to be, in the opinion of this viewer, one of the best of its type.
Although strictly speaking a 'B' this has the presence of Conrad Veidt who is in every respect an 'A'. He has a triple role here. That of the good German, Becker and his evil twin, Baron von Detner. Through force of circumstance the former is then obliged to impersonate the latter. Herr Veidt captures brilliantly the subtle differences between the characters and their sharing duologues together enables Dassin and his cinematographer Harry Stradling Snr to utilise a split-screen effect.
Excellent support here from Marc Lawrence, Frank Reicher, Sydney Blackmer and Polish born Martin Koslek who had the distinction of being on Goebbel's hit list and ironically, playing him no less than five times. The female interest is supplied by Anne Ayars, better known as an opera singer. She is no great shakes as a actress but her role gives the film an emotional balance and the motive for Becker's act of self-sacrifice.
The script and editing are tight and Dassin's direction is subdued but effective. Although he was somewhat dismissive of his American output, his subsequent European films were a mixed bag.
This piece is really about the immaculate artistry of Conrad Veidt and it is such a pity that his fatal heart attack at just fifty denied him the satisfaction of seeing the destruction of the regime that he so despised.
This first feature of Jules Dassin represents one of the early 'message films' designed to induce a sense of paranoia in American audiences which had the salutary effect of keeping them on their guard against Nazi espionage activity. It also happens to be, in the opinion of this viewer, one of the best of its type.
Although strictly speaking a 'B' this has the presence of Conrad Veidt who is in every respect an 'A'. He has a triple role here. That of the good German, Becker and his evil twin, Baron von Detner. Through force of circumstance the former is then obliged to impersonate the latter. Herr Veidt captures brilliantly the subtle differences between the characters and their sharing duologues together enables Dassin and his cinematographer Harry Stradling Snr to utilise a split-screen effect.
Excellent support here from Marc Lawrence, Frank Reicher, Sydney Blackmer and Polish born Martin Koslek who had the distinction of being on Goebbel's hit list and ironically, playing him no less than five times. The female interest is supplied by Anne Ayars, better known as an opera singer. She is no great shakes as a actress but her role gives the film an emotional balance and the motive for Becker's act of self-sacrifice.
The script and editing are tight and Dassin's direction is subdued but effective. Although he was somewhat dismissive of his American output, his subsequent European films were a mixed bag.
This piece is really about the immaculate artistry of Conrad Veidt and it is such a pity that his fatal heart attack at just fifty denied him the satisfaction of seeing the destruction of the regime that he so despised.