Confirm Or Deny (1941)

Set in London 1940, an American war correspondent (Don Ameche) with newspaper ink in his veins anxiously awaits information from a Berlin correspondent regarding the invasion of England by the Germans. He is determined to scoop the competition at all costs, even if it means releasing classified information. Directed by Archie Mayo (THE PETRIFIED FOREST) with an uncredited contribution from Fritz Lang. A routine wartime propaganda war film (though the U.S. was not in the war yet) that uses HIS GIRL FRIDAY as its template. Ameche's manipulative newspaperman talks a mile a minute but the lackluster Ameche lacks Cary Grant's comedic chops and screen presence. As the romantic interest, Joan Bennett is lovely but she doesn't have much to do except react to Ameche. Even at a brief running time of one hour and fourteen minutes, the movie drags. With Roddy McDowall, Eric Blore and John Loder.