Adventures Of Tartu (1943)

An English chemist (Robert Donat) who speaks German fluently is sent to Germany by the British military to find out about Germany's poison gas capabilities and to sabotage their factory if possible. Directed by Harold S. Bucquet (DRAGON SEED). THE 39 STEPS aside, one doesn't think of Robert Donat as an action hero and he seems ill suited for this WWII spy caper. Donat's masquerade (as a Romanian) once inside Germany borders on the comic and indeed Donat seems to be playing as if in a farce which seems terribly out of place in the grim Nazi surroundings. It's a standard wartime propaganda cinema but it's entertaining and the "race against time" finale generates some genuine suspense. I watched the U.S. cut which is about 7 minutes shorter than the British cut. With Valerie Hobson, Glynis Johns and Walter Rilla.