Confidential Agent (1945)

Set in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War, a Spanish agent (Charles Boyer) travels to England with a mission to purchase much needed coal for the Republican government or at the very least, dissuade the sale of coal to the Fascists. Based on the novel by Graham Greene (THE THIRD MAN) and directed by Herman Shumlin, a theatre director who only directed two movies (the other was WATCH ON THE RHINE). I've not read Greene's novel but I understand the film is fairly faithful to the book but I found the movie overly complicated and too long (it's two minutes shy of the two hour mark). Boyer's agent comes across as too naive. Yes, I understand he's not a professional but when everybody is after you and you can't trust anybody, who goes into a dark alley with a total stranger? That being said, Boyer is excellent here. I think it's one of his very best performances. Alas, his leading lady Lauren Bacall in only her second movie already shows the limitations of her acting. But the movie remains a solid entry in the spy genre. The outstanding supporting cast includes Peter Lorre, Katina Paxinou, Victor Francen, George Coulouris, George Zucco and Wanda Hendrix giving a lovely performance as an abused servant girl.