Above Suspicion [DVD] [1943] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]

While in Germany, they follow a series of puzzling clues having to do with music and a red rose. There are many sinister Nazis, however, hot on the trail of the newlyweds, as they bumble about Germany. Through a series of twists and turns they come across an old school chum of Richard, a haughty aristocrat (Basil Rathbone), who turns out to be a lot more than they bargained for. With the aid of a mysterious Austrian agent (Conrad Veidt), Richard and Frances manage to complete their mission, but not before Frances has a hair raising run-in with the Gestapo. The Nazis, however, are no match for Frances.

This 1943 film is definitely a war propaganda movie. There is no doubt that the Nazis are the bad guys. Expect a lot of adventure and witty, highly stylized repartee between the newlyweds. Good performances are given by the entire cast. Although the plot is implausible, the film is still entertaining.

Fans of Joan Crawford will definitely enjoy this film.

Joan Crawford was teamed with Fred MacMurray for the only time in "Above Suspicion", and they make a surprisingly compatiable team as Frances and Richard Myles, two newlywed Americans who are about to depart on their honeymoon when they are approached by a mysterious representative of the British Secret Service to undertake a secret mission within Nazi Germany for the precise reason that as two innocent tourists they are "above suspicion". Their task is to secure through a series of contacts the valuable plans to a new secret weapon of the Nazi's, a magnetic mine. Their travels take them from Paris all the way to Salzburg where they find themselves in more danger than they anticipated when they excepted the assignment. In Austria they run across sinister aristocrat Count Sig von Aschenhausen (Basil Rathbone in another fine performance) who although an old Oxford collegue of Richard's, now has a new strange quality to him and arouses their suspicions by trailing them and watching their every move. With the help of Austrian agent Count Hassert Seidel (Conrad Veidt) the couple make contact with a Doctor Mespelbrunn (Reginald Owen) where they obtain the information they require and then attempt to flee over the border seperately in disguise. Frances is unfortunately captured by the Nazi's and tortured in a remote Castle where Richard and a group of British Agents manage with great difficulty to rescue her and safely cross the border into Switzerland.

Dismissed as a wartime propaganda movie I feel it gave home audiences a feel of what was happening in Europe at the time. Certainly the idea of conscripting civilians for such dangerous missions as this is an absurd one but in the light of the terrors of war the film does convey a message of what was actually going on in Europe with the Nazi's taking control. Joan Crawford delivers a very believable performance under the circumstances, of a young bride who is caught up in the adventure of "being spies" to use her characters words. The rapport between her and MacMurray is very amiable and believable and they handle the numerous twists and turns in the convoluted story very well. Ably assisted by acting veterans Basil Rathbone, Conrad Veidt and Reginald Owen the actors all make something very gripping and enjoyable out of at first glance quite unpromising material.The film adapts a brisk pace and the story never flags for a minute. Backed up by an expensive MGM production the general Germanic feel of the story is well captured and the films other production qualities are well done. One can feel they are actually in parts of Austria on the eve of World War Two.

"Above Suspicion", marked Joan Crawford's farewell to MGM where she had been a star since the late 1920's. She moved on the next year to a long stay at Warner Brothers where among many fine films she scored an Oscar for her work in "Mildred Pierce". While this film is certainly not in the same league it is nevertheless a story filled with exciting story developments, action and suspense,and also a timely message about what was happening in Europe in the period before the start of the war. Take a look at Joan's farewell performance on the MGM lot, while not her best it still stands the test of time and makes "Above Suspicion", an enjoyable way to spend an hour and a half.