Fritz Bauer Institut · Cinematography of the Holocaust
ID |
FBW000023 Fiction |
Country / Year |
USA, 1943 |
Original Title |
They Came to Blow up America |
Directed by |
|
Produced by |
Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp., Los Angeles, CA / New York, NY |
Staff |
Producer: Lee S. Marcus; Producer, var: William Goetz (Vice President in Charge of Studio Operations); Dialoge direction: Thomas Z. Loring; Assistent director: William Eckhardt; Script: Aubrey Wisberg; Based on: Michel Jacoby (Story); Camera: Lucien N. Andriot; Special optical effects: Fred Sersen; Editing: Nick De Maggio; Sound: William D. Flick, Harry M. Leonard; Art direction: James Basevi, John Ewing; Set decoration: Thomas Little, Al Orenbach; Costumes: N'was McKenzie; Musical direction: Emil Newman; Musical arrangements: Hugo Friedhofer |
Cast |
George Sanders (Carl Steelman); Anna Sten (Frau Reiker); Ward Bond (Craig); Dennis Hoey (Col. Taeger); Sig Rumann (Dr. Herman Baumer); Ludwig Stoessel (als: Ludwig Stossel) (Julius Steelman); Robert H. Barrat (Capt. Kranz); Poldy Dur (Helga Lorenz); Ralph Byrd (Heinrich Burkhardt); Elsa Janssen (als: Else Janssen) (Mrs. Henrietta Steelman); Rex Williams (Eichner); Charles McGraw (Zellerbach); Sven-Hugo Borg (Commander Houser); Kurt Katch (Schonzeit); Andre Charlot (Zugholtz); Otto Reichow (Fritz); Arno Frey (Kranz's Aide); Sam Wren (Jones); Etta McDaniel (Theresa); Peter Michael (Gertzer); Dick Hogan (Coast Guardsman); Lisa Golm (Saleslady); Wolfgang Zilzer (Schlegel); Ruth Brady (Secretary); Egon Brecher (Kirschner); Lane Chandler (Reynolds); John Epper (Dispatch Rider); Bud Geary (Policeman); Fred Graham (Policeman); Henry Guttman (Fiertag); Eula Guy (Anne the Nurse); Jack Lorentz (Marine Sentry); George Lynn (Herman); Torben Meyer (Gottwald); John Mylong-Münz (als: John Mylong) (German Officer); Fred Nurney (Ernest Teiker); Walter Sande (Boatswain's Mate); Walter O. Stahl (Col. Taeger's Aide); Bob Stephenson (Sentry); Charles Tannen (Smith); Sigurd Tor (Holtzfeld); Fred Giermann (als: Frederick Giermann) (Gestapo Officer); William Yetter, Sr. (Gestapo Officer); John Banner (Gestapo Officer); Pierre Watkin (Diplomat); Forbes Murray (Diplomat); Fritz Brunn (als: Frederic Brunn) (German Soldier); Albert D'Arno (German Soldier); Arthur Space (FBI Agent); Bruce Warren (FBI Agent); Hugh Prosser (FBI Agent) |
Length |
2007,4 m / 73'22'' |
Format |
35mm/sw/1:1,37 |
Dates |
- 00 Dec 1942: Shooting period |
Remarks |
1. "They Came Tto Blow up America" is based on Operation Pastorius in which an FBI mole is infiltrating a Nazi spy ring. There was no FBI mole in the actual event, but many of the facts are brought out in the film. J. Edgar Hoover, who was present at the trial of the actual saboteurs, was involved in supervision of the film. |
Further Remarks |
- Tonsystem: Western Electric |
Abstract |
A WWII drama in which Carl Steelman infiltrates Nazi espionage circles in order to discover the identities of spies working in the US. An American FBI agent born in Germany, Steelman assumes the identity of a dead spy, enabling him to make contact with Nazi intelligence officials. He narrowly escapes death when his real identity is discovered just as he exits a German sub and lands on American soil. There he must appear in a drawn-out court case in which the various spies are convicted. |
Subject Terms |
Anti-Nazi films (US); Germany (1933-1945); Espionage; Espionage trials; USA; World War II |
Bibliography |
- Wear.: "They came to Blow Up America", in: Variety, 21.04.1943 |