They Met In The Dark (1943)

After being discharged for treason, a former Navy Commander (James Mason) sets out to expose the spy ring that destroyed his career. But when his first contact (Patricia Medina) turns up dead and he is seen running from the scene of the crime, a witness (Joyce Howard) is convinced he murdered her. Directed by Karel Lamac, this is a rather stodgy faux Hitchcock WWII espionage thriller (think FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT or SABOTEUR) with a soupcon of uninspired romance slipped in. It's very much of its day but without any artistry or style that makes it stand out. It does have a young and appealing James Mason in the lead which helps but Joyce Howard makes for a wearisome heroine. The Anglophiles may lap it up but others may not be so tolerant. The underscore is by Benjamin Frankel. With David Farrar, Tom Walls, Phyllis Stanley and Finlay Currie.