IMDb > O.S.S. (1946)

Overview

User Rating:
7.1/10   131 votes
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Down 25% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Irving Pichel
Writer:
Richard Maibaum (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for O.S.S. on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
19 September 1946 (Sweden) more
Genre:
Drama | War more
Tagline:
He's deep in danger...deeper in love...in the Top Thrill Show of the Year!
Plot:
John Martin is part of an American spy team dropped into France during World War II to destroy the French railway system... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
User Comments:
Ladd as the anti-hero hero more (5 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Alan Ladd ... Philip Masson / John Martin

Geraldine Fitzgerald ... Ellen Rogers / Elaine Duprez
Patric Knowles ... Cmdr. Brady
John Hoyt ... Col. Paul Meister
Gloria Saunders ... WAC Operator Sparky
Richard Webb ... Partker
Richard Benedict ... Bernay
Harold Vermilyea ... Amadeus Brink
Don Beddoe ... Gates / Rodney Parrish
Crane Whitley ... Arnheim
Onslow Stevens ... Field
Gavin Muir ... Col. Crawson
Egon Brecher ... Marcel Aubert
Joseph Crehan ... Gen. Donovan

Bobby Driscoll ... Gerard
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
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Runtime:
105 min | Argentina:107 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Black and White
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)
Certification:
Argentina:Atp | Finland:K-16 | USA:Unrated | Sweden:15
Company:
Paramount Pictures more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
John Hoyt's first film. more

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User Comments

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1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful.
Ladd as the anti-hero hero, 22 July 2009
8/10
Author: mike dewey from canton, ohio

This film, shot soon after WWII's conclusion, starts out in a semi-documentary fashion, with that time period's usual background commentary, this time applied to the nascent stages of the O.S.S. and how its development would enhance the war effort. However, as the core unit gets trained, it shifts to a pretty decent spy drama, with Alan Ladd and Ms. Fitzgerald taking the leads in their unit's task, which inherently was to supply the Allies with German armored division positions and to facilitate the explosion of a railroad tunnel which had been providing the Germans with their main conduit for battle preparations.

Ladd's gender-biased character doesn't like the fact that he has to work with a woman on such a trying mission, but Ms. Fitz's character isn't falling for his hype, and soon shows her mettle by performing more than adequately her assigned tasks. It is in this dialog between our two major protagonists that we see just how well the our stars (and writers/director) handled their roles. Crisp, articulate dialog sets the pace for their encounters, which was coupled with an intelligent story line, whose development was duly enhanced by the supporting actors as well.

But as my summary title indicates, our "hero" isn't really the prototypical war hero you were used to seeing in movies of that era. Our man Ladd is asked to perform one more task by his CO and he "bites the guy's head off" with a "why me?" diatribe reminiscent of a film more ensconced in the anti-war movies of the 60's-70's. It is Ladd at his vitriolic best, barking at the CO to get somebody else, but the CO has to finally give him an official order, to which Ladd reluctantly assents. This scene ever so realistically shows the reactions of a real human soldier as opposed to some sort of Hollywood hero fabrication.

Other moments of pathos and reality occur, especially between "Sparky" and the unit's radio operator. John Hoyt's fine contribution as the German colonel also merits mentioning.

Although it may not rank amongst your all time favorites list, watch it anyway and if you don't have at least a small well of tears at the film's conclusion... just maybe "she could have been a girl from around the corner!"

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