ID

FBW000978      Fiction

Country / Year

USA, 1945

Original Title

Confidential Agent

Directed by

Herman Shumlin

Produced by

Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc., Burbank, CA / New York, NY

Staff

Producer: Robert Bruckner; Script: Robert Bruckner; Based on: Graham Greene (Story); Camera: James Wong Howe; Editing: George Amy; Art direction: Leo K. Kuter; Music: Frank Waxman

Cast

Charles Boyer (Denard); Lauren Bacall (Rose Cullen); Victor Francen (Licata); Wanda Hendrix (Else); George Coulouris (Capt. Currie); Peter Lorre (Contreras); Katina Paxinou (Mrs. Melandey); John Warburton (Neil Forbes); Holmes Herbert (Lord Benditch); Dan Seymour (Mr. Muckerji); Art Foster (Chauffeur); Miles Mander (Brigstack); Lawrence Grant (Lord Fetting); Ian Wolfe (Dr. Bellows); George Zucco (Detective Geddes)

Length

113'

Format

35mm/sw/1:1,37

Abstract

Denard, a once-famous concert pianist, travels secretly from Spain to England in 1937 to purchase coal for the Loyalist cause and to keep the fuel from falling into Fascist hands. He meets Rose Cullen before arriving in London and is almost killed by Licata, Nazi spymaster. Denard goes to a small London hotel operated by Mrs. Melandey, a dedicated Fascist who practices her sadism on a helpless hotel employee, Else. She later pushes the girl out a window to her death while fellow agent Contreras looks on, smirking. Denard is hounded and hunted by Fascist goons while trying to prevent Licata from making a deal with Fascist-leaning coal king Lord Benditch, but he is too late. He addresses the workers with an impassioned speech, telling them that the fuel they have dug out of the earth will be used to eventually kill women and children in blockaded free Spain, but he is shouted down. Before returning in defeat to Spain, Denard confronts Mrs. Melandey, telling her that she will answer for Else's death. She takes poison before police arrive. Denard then holds a gun on Contreras. Slowly he pulls the trigger but the automatic misfires. But the excitement is too much for Contreras, who dies of a heart attack. Later, Denard reads in a newspaper that his speech has caused the cancellation of the coal contract. Rose Cullen, who has aided him all along, joins him in his political cause.

Subject Terms

Anti-Nazi films (US); England; Fascism; London; National Socialists; Spain; Foreign agents; Espionage

Bibliography

- Nash, Ray R. / Ross, Stanley R. / Conelly, Robert B. (Ed.): Motion Picture Guide. Chicago, IL: Cinebooks, 1987