International Lady (1941)

Director:

Tim Whelan

Writers:

Jack DeWitt (story)
E. Lloyd Sheldon (story)

Release Date:

16 October 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Romance | Thriller | War

Plot:

The film opens with a German air-raid over the skies of London, and moves to the attempts of the F.B.I...

Plot Keywords:

Airplane | Scotland Yard | Radio | Singer | Sabotage

Cast

George Brent	...	Tim Hanley
Ilona Massey	...	Carla Nillson
Basil Rathbone	...	Reggie Oliver
Gene Lockhart	...	Sidney Grenner
George Zucco	...	Webster
Francis Pierlot	...	Dr. Rowan
Martin Kosleck	...	Bruner
Charles D. Brown	...	Tetlow
Marjorie Gateson	...	Bertha Grenner
Leyland Hodgson	...	Sergeant Moulton
Clayton Moore	...	Sewell
Gordon De Main	...	Denby
Frederick Worlock	...	Sir Henry
Jack Mulhall	...	Desk Clerk
Ralph Dunn	...	Don

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #7540) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Finland:S | Sweden:15

Company:

Edward Small Productions

Trivia:

'George Brent' to refers to Basil Rathbone as "Sherlock" about half way through the movie. Rathbone had already made a couple of Sherlock Holmes movies and was scheduled to make several more.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Let's Go to the Movies (1949)

Suspicion, intrigue and a touch of romance in film prior to WW2 years

What a pleasant surprise to accidentally tune in to this movie on late night television, a film totally unknown to me.

Ilona Massey is the sophisticated spy, Carla Nillson, in this suspenseful drama who succeeds in subtle deceptions throughout by camouflaging her real identity behind her singing engagements and exquisite good looks, a beauty that ordinarily puts her beyond suspicion. But it doesn't last. George Brent (as Tim Hanley) and Basil Rathbone (as Reggie Oliver) are federal agents who become alerted to her actions and pursue the trail of her activities.

She displays a beautiful singing voice in a few instances. It's quite ingenious of her as a spy to pass on messages of important information through her singing in a foreign language for radio broadcast during an evening soirée. Her sheet music subsequently comes under considerable scrutiny, something about sabotage, etc. and is painstakingly dissected to break the code. And so the story unfolds. Eventually she is suspected of serious incriminating activity and must face the consequences.

Ah, to be blonde and beautiful! I remember as a youngster seeing her in a comedy film where she was walking on an elevated fence wall with the wind blowing her evening gown seductively. I always thought of her as surrounded in mystery, such are the memories of a young mind.

George Brent as always plays the suave romantic lead, attentive and caring. And leave it to Basil Rathbone to get caught up in the intrigue firsthand! It's nice to see a youngish Gene Lockhart, here as Sidney Grenner, involved in the plotting and scheming.

The story does hold one's attention to the end, wondering how it will be resolved. All in all, a very good early movie prior to the onset of the war films that followed. Well worth watching.

I can only wonder why they don't have this available on video. It would be great to have it in one's collection.