During World War One a notorious German spy, on a STAMBOUL QUEST for naval secrets, finds herself falling in love with a most persistent young American.
This enjoyable espionage thriller features plenty of romance and a convoluted plot which will not reward viewers who nap. The story is a mite ludicrous and obviously owes much to the real-life exploits of Mata Hari, who is mentioned but never seen (footage of her character was deleted). The climax seems forced and contrived, as if the Studio was hurrying towards the expected happy ending, but it should please most of the audience irregardless.
Myrna Loy plays the beautiful spy who finds her heart overruling her head during a most critical assignment. She engages in no great exhibition of acting skill, but her classically cool demeanor is so sophisticated & glamorous that she is a constant joy to watch. George Brent, over from Warner Bros., has fun as the exuberant medical student who dogs Loy's footsteps until she can't help but succumb to his charms. Together, they make a pair of playful lovers.
Lionel Atwill, an extremely fine actor who's not given the recognition he's due, integrates his usually sinister demeanor with flashes of humor in his role as Germany's spy master. C. Henry Gordon portrays a wily Turkish commander, while the ever versatile Mischa Auer takes on the role of his aide-de-camp.
Movie mavens will recognize Leo G. Carroll as a double agent and Christian Rub as a dentist extracting more than bad teeth, both uncredited.
The Dardanelles, which is spoken of throughout the film, is the strategic strait connecting the Aegean Sea with the Sea of Marmara, the body of water which separates European from Asiatic Turkey. It should not be confused with the Bosporus, which is further to the East and is the strait which connects the Sea of Marmara with the Black Sea. The famous siege of Gallipoli, in 1915-16, was Britain's unsuccessful attempt to wrest control of the Dardanelles from the Turkish Empire. The ancient Greek name for the Dardanelles was the Hellespont.