1942's "Invisible Agent" was the 4th in Universal's 5 feature Invisible Man series, its connection being that Jon Hall portrays the grandson of the first Invisible Man, the only person alive in possession of the secret formula, for which certain foreign powers show their interest in a decidedly threatening manner. Filmed as "The Invisible Spy" by outside producer Frank Lloyd (on the heels of Alfred Hitchcock's "Saboteur"), the opening presents the indomitable Peter Lorre as Baron Ikito of Imperial Japan, coupled with Sir Cedric Hardwicke (deputizing for Lionel Atwill) as high ranking Nazi official Conrad Stauffer, paying a surprise visit to print shop owner Frank Raymond (Jon Hall), eager to persuade him to sell them his invisibility formula for a price. Baron Ikito's palpable threat to cut off his fingers gives Raymond enough time to foil his assailants and escape, refusing to divulge his secret even to his own government until after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Insistent that he alone be the one to take the injection, our hero parachutes into Nazi Germany to seek out coffin maker/double agent Arnold Schmidt (Albert Basserman), who directs him to the home of gorgeous Maria Sorenson (top billed Ilona Massey), the apparent sweetheart of the heartless Stauffer. Scenes of underling Heiser (J. Edward Bromberg) falling victim to invisible pranks almost wear down the picture's welcome serious tone, but screenwriter Curt Siodmak clearly delights in deflating the egos of the regime he left behind, and the mutual distrust between Axis 'allies' Germany and Japan. Stauffer's superior attitude contrasts with Baron Ikito, his dedication to the cause equating failure with death; it is he who passes final sentence on Stauffer's bungling treachery in a powerful showdown at the Japanese Embassy (Keye Luke putting in a brief appearance as a surgeon). One wishes that Peter Lorre's role were actually larger than it is, but his menacing underplaying and casual scoffing at 'German ingenuity' earn him top honors among the small cast. His previous success as Mr. Moto in 8 films for 20th Century-Fox was still fresh in moviegoers' minds, so this villainous turn was perhaps inevitable given the current circumstances, later playing a Japanese steward in 1956's all star outing "Around the World in Eighty Days." Hardwicke had previously been revealed as the surprise killer in "The Invisible Man Returns," turning in a strong performance despite his character's swift downfall, Bromberg's Heiser the typical Nazi rat who plays while the cat's away, delights in watching his superior officer slain by the vengeful Baron, and determined to thwart the invisible agent's return to England, only to be ignominiously gunned down by Stauffer's pursuing assassins carrying out his final orders. Milburn Stone's unbilled German sergeant cannot be spotted among the numerous bit players, and Albert Basserman's final moment proves to be his best, unable to sign a confession saying that he had been well treated by his captors: "I can't, you've broken my fingers!" Jon Hall would return as an entirely different character opposite John Carradine in 1944's "The Invisible Man's Revenge," the 5th entry in the series that closed out with "Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man" in 1951, Arthur Franz doing the honors using stock footage from "The Invisible Man Returns."
Review of Invisible Agent
