Friday, June 6, 2008

UNPUBLISHED STORY (1942)

This WWII British programmer is better than you'd expect. It's fascinating to compare our touchy avoidance of a commercial drama centered on the World Trade Center terrorist attack, when here, at the war's height, and less than two years after the events referred to, we get a standard formulaic tale of rival reporters, gal (Valerie Hobson) & guy (Richard Greene), told with all the well-established romantic trimmings and dramatic/character tropes. The plot involving fringe Peaceniks secretly led by 5th columnists and Nazi spies is treadbare, and the big 'reveal' of the sinister network comes too late for maximum suspense/effect. But Harold French keeps things moving, Hitchcock’s former regular cameraman Bernard Knowles has fun shooting in recreated "blackout" conditions and the art directors do wonders on a budget suggesting London during the blitz.

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