CONFIDENTIAL AGENT

US, 1945, 122 minutes, Black and white.
Charles Boyer, Lauren Bacall, Katina Paxinou, Peter Lorre, Victor Francen, George Coulouris, Wanda Hendrix, George Zucco, Miles Mander.
Directed by Herman Shumlin.

Confidential Agent is an adaptation of a Graham Greene novel. While not in the league of some of the British adaptations of Greene's work, the film is one of those enjoyable Warner Bros World War Two, eerie productions. Whether it has so much to do with Greene is another matter.

Charles Boyer is broodily effective as the Spanish agent. Lauren Bacall, in one of her earliest roles, seems somewhat miscast as the spoilt English aristocrat. However, there is Peter Lorre leading Warner Bros regular effective (and often sinister) cast. Direction is by Herman Shumlin, director of Watch on the Rhine.

The film looks at the Spanish Civil War in retrospect, in the role of Britain and arms deals and agents. It is also a piece of war propaganda.

1.Enjoyable thriller? Adaptation of Graham Greene? Piece of World War Two propaganda?

2.Warner Bros production values: black and white photography, the studio sets, period, re-creation of England? Franz Waxman's score?

3.The title, expectations? The agents of Spain, the arms deals? The atmosphere of Europe before the breakout of war?

4.The '30s, Spain and the civil war, the role of England? European politics? World War Two?

5.Denard, on the boat, pursuit, the agents following him, the passport difficulties, Rose and the lift in the car, the pursuit? The clash with the British in the hotel? The fight in the road? His outwitting his pursuers? To London, the girl in the boarding-house, Madame Melendez and her contacts? Going to the language school, the encounter with Dr Bellowes with its humorous touch, the professor and the giving of the information during the class (with its ironic touches)? The pursuit, the interactions and the leads? The violence and the threat to life? Rose and her contact? Helping him? The two caught up in the web? Breaking through? Sailing away and the achievement?

6.Rose and her background, wealth, influence? Meeting Denard on the boat, helping him? At the hotel? Watching him being bashed? Her arrival in London? Her help, confrontations? Falling in love, the dangers, the ending?

7.The scene in the hotel, the dinner, the taking of the car, the loud English aristocrat and his pursuit, the fight? The Spanish spies following?

8.The Spanish agents, their motives, fights, traps?

9.Peter Lorre, the language school, his role, contacts, dangers and violence?

10.Madame, her role in communicating, the young girl and her work? The effect on them?

11.A world of '30s dangers, a sinister world, England and agents?

12.The contrived style of the film? Studio-bound? Adventure and romance? Popular in the '40s? In retrospect?