The interesting character here is William Bendix, who plays an ordinary cleaner at a joint but at the same time secretly leads an underground movement against the German occupation. He comes across a German soldier in the toilet who is very unhappy because the Nazis will send his girlfriend to a Nazi breeding camp. He is so unhappy that he commits suicide, but he has left Bendix with a farewell letter to Berlin, which Bendix has promised to post, which he never does, because he is caught among other customers at the joint as hostages while the German authorities investigate the disappearance of the German suicide officer - they refuse to believe he committed suicide. That's how it begins, It develops into a thriller about the resistance against the Germans, and it is a regular propaganda film of the war against Germany, but it is not without interest. Another of the hostages is the mighty industrial owner Oscar Homolka, his daughter is there also among the hostages, and he believes he could have some influence with the Germans but is sadly mistaken. Many other characters are involved also, there is a journalist, there are partisans, the German soldiers are all bad and the partisans are all good, especially when the Germans execute the partisans. There are many flaws in this film, but the action is intensive, complex and interesting, the director is Frank Tuttle who is best known for Alan Ladd's first film "This Gun for Hire", and his thriller grip on this war tragedy is at least unmistakeable.
The story and plot is well contrived with very much wit and clever dialogue, it is actually convincing as a very Czech intrigue, the Germans being depicted with killing irony and Paul Lukas never quite understanding how everything could go so wrong. Katina Paxinou is as impressive as ever, and Luise Rainer plays out all her faked innocence in perfect style. The music adds to it, Dvorak for the Czechs and Wagner for the Germans, and the grim drama of stubborn resistance and sacrificed hostages is contrasted against sweet idyllic romance, but William Bendix takes it all with a hearty laugh.
The story and plot is well contrived with very much wit and clever dialogue, it is actually convincing as a very Czech intrigue, the Germans being depicted with killing irony and Paul Lukas never quite understanding how everything could go so wrong. Katina Paxinou is as impressive as ever, and Luise Rainer plays out all her faked innocence in perfect style. The music adds to it, Dvorak for the Czechs and Wagner for the Germans, and the grim drama of stubborn resistance and sacrificed hostages is contrasted against sweet idyllic romance, but William Bendix takes it all with a hearty laugh.