This is as much a response to samhill5215's review of CONSPIRATOR as it is a review of the film itself. Sam Hill seems to think that paranoia about Soviet infiltration of the West was unjustified, even though around the same time this film was being made (1949) the Rosenbergs were selling nuclear secrets to the Russians and Philby was funneling intel to them from his perch over in England.
Sam wonders why Elizabeth Taylor's character -- who the film paints as being naive and apolitical -- would be rattled to discover that she'd married a Soviet spy. I wonder if Sam would be making the same observation if the time line were adjusted to World War II and Taylor had learned her husband was a Nazi.
I suppose it matters not to Sam that Mao and Stalin together killed approximately 94 million people.
94. Million.
Nine-four, Sam. Million. The number is beyond staggering. It defies belief.
Adolph Hitler, one of the most evil humans of the 20th century, was a piker by comparison.
But according to Sam, regardless of this kind of unprecedented barbarity, Liz's character was just a Silly Billy to care so much.
Unbelievable.
The movie itself is okay, but far from great. It's well photographed and professionally acted... the story is intriguing... but it all feels rather insubstantial, as if several important scenes were missing.
Perhaps it got butchered in the editing room.
Too bad. Like samhill's review.
