Edward Dmytryk’s four decade directing career tends to get split into two unequal pieces: mid-list R.K.O. films of the ‘40s that punch above their weight, and the A-list films he made after his ‘Hollywood Ten’ purgatory which often punch below. Not incorrect, but ignoring the programmers Dmytryk pumped out first.* Like this ‘Lone Wolf’ number at Columbia with Warren William’s gentleman jewel thief doing his part for the war effort by going to London, along with amusingly dithering aide Eric Blore, not for diamonds & such, but to steal secret war plans from Sir Whomever. The act a ruse to get on the ‘right’ side of the ‘wrong’ team, exposing a German spy ring in the heart of London. Only problem, the letter of intent is destroyed when Sir Whomever is killed and now William has both the Germans and Scotland Yard after him. With a perfect running time (1'18"), a real plot, clues you can follow and a stronger than usual cast, it’s one of the better Lone Wolf pics, even managing a decent romance for the daughter of Sir Whomever and the two suitors who work with him; one a spy. Likely made as a second (or even third) feature, it may have been better than the headline pic. Dmytryk fails to keep a couple of Stateside cops from overplaying, but gets everyone else to keep their chins up and their upper lips stiff. Though having contract player Forrest Tucker play a continental spy was never going to work. (On the other hand, a very young Lloyd Bridges just fine as a waiter in the German Spy ring.)
DOUBLE-BILL/LINK: *Next year’s indie quickie, HITLER’S CHILDREN/’43, became a surprise hit and Dmytryk’s springboard out of Columbia programmers and into R.K.O. https://maksquibs.blogspot.com/2016/04/hitlers-children-1943.html
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