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Sunday, October 17, 2010

Above Suspicion (1943)

Set in 1939 on the eve of Hitler's invasion of Poland. While on their honeymoon, a pair of American newlyweds (Joan Crawford, Fred MacMurray) living in England are asked by the foreign office to do sleuthing while in Germany in an attempt to retrieve some vital secret information and return it to Great Britain. Disparaged upon its initial release, time has been kind to ABOVE SUSPICION. Today, it plays like an entertaining spy caper and while Joan Crawford, never one with a light touch, can't seem to get a grasp on it (the part cries out for a Rosalind Russell), MacMurray breezes along perfectly, balancing the lightweight romantic touches with the adventure aspects. The plot is too convoluted for its own good and if you get lost, don't worry about it because it doesn't matter much, not really. Unmemorable but diverting viewing. Directed by Richard Thorpe and with Basil Rathbone, Conrad Veidt, Ann Shoemaker, Reginald Owen, Felix Bressart and Sara Haden.

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