Invisible Agent (1942)

The Invisible Man's grandson uses his secret formula to spy on Nazi Germany.

Director:

Edwin L. Marin

Writers:

H.G. Wells (novel), Curt Siodmak

Stars:

Ilona Massey, Jon Hall, Peter Lorre

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Ilona Massey	...	Maria Sorenson
Jon Hall	...	Frank Raymond
Peter Lorre	...	Baron Ikito
Cedric Hardwicke	...	Conrad Stauffer
J. Edward Bromberg	...	Karl Heiser
Albert Bassermann	...	Arnold Schmidt (as Albert Basserman)
John Litel	...	John Gardiner
Holmes Herbert	...	Sir Alfred Spencer
Keye Luke	...	Surgeon

Storyline

Frank Raymond, grandson of the original Invisible Man, still has the old formula but considers it too dangerous to use, even when Axis agents try to get it. But Pearl Harbor brings him to volunteer his own services as an invisible agent in Germany. Though a bit cold (clothes aren't invisible), his adventures are more comedy than thriller (with occasional grim reminders) as he makes fools of Nazi officials and romances a luscious double agent, in search of Hitler's secret plan...

---

Plot Keywords:

spy | nazi | pearl harbor | invisible man | germany | 

---

Genres:

Sci-Fi | War

---

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 August 1942 (USA)

Also Known As:

Agent invisible

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$322,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Frank Lloyd Productions, Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The scene in which Conrad Stauffer asks Arnold Schmidt to sign a document saying he was well-treated (after Conrad Stauffer's men have broken Arnold Schmidt's fingers) was parodied by Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong on their 1972 album, Big Bambu.

---

Goofs

The way the woman holds the champange glass changes between shots.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Newsboy: Extra! "Oregon State Invites Duke to Rose Bowl." Extra! Late edition! "Oregon State Invites Duke to Rose Bowl."

---

Connections

Referenced in Cinemassacre's Monster Madness: Dracula vs. Frankenstein (2010)

User Reviews

Pretty good

I actually didn't even know about this film, let alone not knowing its ties to the Universal Studios' Invisible Man series. I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. Sure, it's not Claude Rains' "The Invisible Man" film, or even Vincent Price's "The Invisible Man Returns." It's not really even a horror film. But this movie had a pretty decent story.

It was about a man who is the grandson of the original Invisible Man They referred to the original as "Frank Griffen" in this story, but the original was actually named "Jack Griffen," and his brother was named Frank in "The Invisible Man Returns." Why they were inconsistent, I'm not sure. Anyhow, the grandson gets offered a fortune to sell his grandfather's secret formula to the Nazis, but refuses and goes undercover as a spy for the United States using the formula to spy on the Nazis to find out their plan of attack on the U.S. Very good plot.

With some good special effects and some great, the technical aspects of this film were at least just as good as the previous films. We even got some good warfare explosions. And the story was definitely enjoyable. So despite inconsistencies with previous Invisible Man films, this film is definitely worth a look.