Agent Karloff

 

(tcm)

BRITISH INTELLIGENCE-1940-During WW1 German spies are causing much sabotage under the leadership of the mysterious Hans Strendler. British Intelligence is called in to help and send a plane to pick up their best agent but the plane picking him up is shot down. The pilot Frank Bennett (Bruce Lester) is taken to the hospital and nurse Helene (Margaret Lindsey) takes care of him. He seems to fall for her but she abruptly leaves. With good reason she's a German spy! Later she's placed in the home of cabinet minister Bennett (Holmes Herbert), Frank's father where scarred limping butler Valdar (Boris Karloff) seems to be a double agent working with Colonel Yates (Leonard Mudie). 

There are several twists in this patriotic spy story directed by Terry O. Morse whose last work would be the credited director for the added American scenes in GODZILLA; KING OF MONSTERS (1956). One of 9 movies King Karloff appeared in 1940 along with THE TOWER OF LONDON, THE APE and Mr. Wong entries.

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Not A Horror Movie!

 

 

 (imdb)

INVISIBLE MENACE-1938-A dumb GI named Eddie (Eddie Craven) sneaks his new bride Sally (Marie Wilson) into his army base for their honeymoon. When a scientist is viciously murdered everyone is a suspect. Especially Dr. Jevries (Boris Karloff). Col. Hackett (Henry Kolker), Lt. Matthews (Regis Toomey) and Dr. Brooks (Charles Trowbridge) investigate. Later Col. Rogers (Cy Kendall) is called in. They seem to want to railroad Jevries for the murder. 

Routine murder mystery only remembered for Karloff and the title. Director John Farrow (father of Mia) had directed Karloff a year earlier in WEST OF SHANGHAI.

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Chan Goes Everywhere

CHARLIE CHAN IN PANAMA1940--A suspicious bunch gather in Panama. Jolly author Cliveden Compton (Lionel Atwill), school teacher Jennie Finch (Mary Nash), local club owner Manolo (Jack La Rue), Godley (Addison Richards), Dr. Grosser (Lionel Royce), a grouchy, fez wearing German Halide (Frank Puglia) and a guy named Cabot (Kane Richmond) that Manolo has one of his employees Kathie (Jean Rogers) spy on.

In Panama City Godley visits a hat maker who happens to be Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) undercover. Godley has secret info on a saboteur/assassin named Reinhardt (no one knows what he looks like) but he smokes a poisoned cigarette and dies before revealing his info. Chan must stop Reinhardt from harming the Navy fleet before it uses the canal. No. 2 son Jimmy (Sen Yung) is kind of a pain but the identity of the killer is a lulu! Norman Foster directed this enjoyable installment, no doubt enhanced by the presence of the always entertaining Lionel Atwill.

 Next up: CHARLIE CHAN'S MURDER CRUISE.

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Watching The Detective!

NICK CARTER-MASTER DETECTIVE-1939-In his first starring role Walter Pidgeon plays Nick Carter, a NYC detective. He's hired by the owner of a defense plant (Addison Richards ) where a new kind of plane is being tested to prevent anymore sabotage by foreign agents. Henry Hull plays the scientist who invented it. After he's killed Carter suspects a nurse (Rita Johnson) but it's really the seemingly nice guy doctor (Stanley Ridges. who was in BLACK FRIDAY with Karloff &Lugosi the next year).

Martin Kosleck and Milburn Stone are spies who pretend to be injured and smuggle out microfilm. Henry Victor (the strong man in FREAKS) is the head of the spy ring. Donald Meek plays a comical private eye/bee keeper who shows up at various times to try and help. The climax takes place at sea with Carter in an aerial duel with the spies' boat. Sterling Holloway and Frank Faylen have small roles.

There's nothing special about this little mystery but it moves along quickly. In fact it almost seems like a an overlong TV show. Oh wait, I forgot TV hadn't been invented in 1939!

The first Nick Carter story appeared as a "dime store" novel in 1886! The persona of Carter was revised several times (like becoming more of a Pulp hero in the early '30's to compete with THE SHADOW and DOC SAVAGE). Several silent films made in France first featured the detective.

After an MGM trilogy Columbia made a serial featuring Nick's son Chick! The character was later again revived in for two movies featuring Eddie Constantine in the lead role. Robert Conrad played him in a made for TV movie in 1972. A radio series ran from 1943 to 1955.

NCMD was only the second full length feature for French born director Jacques Tourneur who in 1942 would direct the classic CAT PEOPLE.

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