British Intelligence

This movie came out in the U.S. on January 29, 1940. It was nearly two years before America would go to war, but Europe was in it. Britain and France declared war on Germany on Sept. 3, 1939, after Germany had invaded Poland on Sept. 1. But the clear signs of Nazi aggression were apparent as far back as 1936. On March 7, 1936, Germany broke the Versailles Treaty from World War I when its troops marched into the Rhineland. That area west of the Rhine had been off limits to German military. On March 11, 1938, Germany annexed Austria. On Sept. 30, the Munich Agreement with Britain and France allowed Germany to take part of Czechoslovakia.

On Aug. 23, 1939, the Nazis and Soviets signed a non-aggression agreement. And, after Germany invaded Poland, the Soviet Union moved into Poland from the east.

All of this history helps put into perspective this and other movies that Hollywood was making at the time related to war. And, it may help one understand some of the studios reasoning. Did they foresee the real likelihood of America soon going to war? A couple of other reviewers noted that this film seemed to be a combination of a WWI movie and a prophecy of WW II. Of course, as already noted, WW II was well underway when this film came out.

The production qualities of this film seem to suffer some. Some of the sets seem very stagy (it is based on a stage play). The dirigible bombing of London seems amateurish. The bombing scenes appear to have been made with a table model. Antiaircraft lights appear to be white strips of paper pasted on a black background.

But it is an interesting story of espionage and a good look at early British security efforts. The plot is very good and suspenseful. In the opening, it has some good use of WWI film footage. None of the cast are exceptional, but all do a good job. Boris Karloff is toned down in his menacing, monster-like glares, so he is believable as a refugee butler, Valdar. Margaret Lindsay is good as Helen von Lorbeer.

I don't think this is as much a propaganda film as it is a cinematic warning to Americans. And, it's wrapped in a cloak of espionage for entertainment. Perhaps it tweaked minds of audiences back then about what to expect in another world war.