Fuga

There were plenty of early warnings of the horrors of another land war in Europe after World War One. Indeed, World War Two was to be avoided at all costs, yet this became impossible. Particularly evil was the war waged against civilians who cared little about politics and even less about military tactics. Yet, some 63,000,000 people were victims during the war, most of them civilians. This movie is a fictional account of one woman who must confront death because she was accused of treason by the Nazis for selling a house. The conflict is driven by the possibility of rescue by her son from America, and the suspense becomes overpowering. Unfortunately, her plight is a symbol of a historical reality from which the civilized nations have not yet recovered. For reference, this movie was released just one year after the fall of Poland and one year and a few months before the attack on Pearl Harbor. In terms of terrorizing civilians, this film was indeed a frightening prophecy.

MGM was among the first studios to treat the impending war with films like IDIOT'S DELIGHT (1939) and THE MORTAL STORM (1940); another such effort, despite its generic moniker, was ESCAPE. As with the former, it was apparently a Leslie Halliwell favourite – maybe he had a particular fondness for Norma Shearer, since she stars in both!

This is the superior film, however, given its early depiction of a concentration camp and the suspense inherent in the title. Shearer's co- star here is yet another silver-screen heart-throb and MGM fixture, Robert Taylor, though – unlike Gable in the afore-mentioned IDIOT'S DELIGHT – his relentless seriousness renders him a dull lead (only really coming into his own when breaking into the Nazi salute as he complains "I've had it up to here!" and again towards the end in his confrontation scenes with nominal villain Conrad Veidt). The latter, fine as always, plays a character somewhere between his sympathetic German of the Powell & Pressburger films THE SPY IN BLACK (1939) and CONTRABAND (1940) and the full-fledged Nazi he memorably essayed in CASABLANCA (1942). His initial disapproval of the brutal regime tactics eventually makes way for a compulsive adherence to duty (though a heart condition ultimately proves his undoing – ironically, the actor would himself succumb to this affliction within three years!).

He begins to suspect that his lover (Shearer) may have forsaken him for Taylor – who has been making a nuisance of himself while tracking down his mother (Silent star Nazimova), a former theatrical celebrity but whose misguided attempts at helping German refugees have landed her in a death camp. Thanks to an admiring doctor, she is induced to a comatose state, so that she can then be ostensibly transported to a proper burial ground (accorded her once-respected stature) – but Taylor is forced to seek shelter along the way in Shearer's home, which also serves as a finishing school for girls (who, as in IDIOT'S DELIGHT, seem to consider a dashing military career as the epitome of romance!).

The film has the expected gloss and entertainment value of a typical MGM product but, as I said, reasonable tension is also elicited out of its 'premature burial' situation and the unorthodox resolution of the obligatory love triangle at the finale (of which, as in the earlier Shearer picture, two versions were filmed and are compared in a "You Tube" clip).

This is another underrated film, probably due to the fact that in those days, the studios just churned them out. It's a shame that today, with fewer films being made, more can't be "churned out" like this one.

A top-notch cast, including Robert Taylor, Nazimova, Conrad Veidt and Norma Shearer do justice to a very good script which at times has you on the edge of your seat.

Robert Taylor plays an American who comes to Germany looking for his mother, a well-known German actress, who married an American and returns to Germany to sell her house. One can really feel his frustration as he frantically tries to find information on her whereabouts.

Finally, he learns that she is in a concentration camp awaiting execution. Along the way, he has met Shearer, an American, who continued to live in Germany after she was widowed and is now seeing a German officer.

The film is heavy on propaganda, as Taylor comes up against citizens afraid to talk and nasty, uncaring Nazis. Even Shearer refuses to help him initially, and an old family friend pretends not to know him.

Taylor does an excellent job as both a desperate man and a loving, tender son. Without giving the story away, he has one magnificent nonverbal moment where it literally looks like the blood has drained from his face.

Shearer is lovely, and Veidt is alternately charming and scary. Nazimova plays Taylor's mother in a strong performance. Though she went outside the studio to get Tyrone Power to costar with her in "Marie Antoinette" rather than use Taylor, both Shearer and Taylor were under contract to MGM and would meet again for Shearer's final film, "Her Cardboard Lover."

Some of the final scenes of "Escape" are very intense. Highly recommended.

In the Ethel Vance novel, the role of the Countess is even smaller than it is in the film. The story has been re-structured to fit MGM's Norma Shearer (still the Queen of the lot at the time) and Robert Taylor. Taylor, always an underrated actor, gives one of his most forceful, sensitive and earnest performances as an American trying to free his mother from a German prison camp and seeking the help of the Countess to achieve his goal. Suspense builds as the Nazi menace (Conrad Veidt) threatens to destroy any hope he has of enabling his mother to escape.

Handsomely produced, although much of the Alpine scenery has a studio-bound stage setting look, it gives us a glimpse of Norma Shearer's aristocratic beauty and Robert Taylor in his prime--which should be enough for some movie fans. Added to that is the suspenseful story and an excellent supporting cast--including Nazimova as the mother, Felix Bressart and Bonita Granville as a pro-Nazi sympathizer. It all moves rather smoothly under Mervyn LeRoy's direction, a glossy melodrama that unfortunately has never made its way to video. Well worth watching, so catch it if you can on one of the cable stations.

Robert Taylor (Mark) arrives in Nazi Germany to seek out his actress mother Alla Nazimova (Emmy Ritter) who seems to have disappeared. In reality, she is in a concentration camp awaiting execution. Taylor comes up against a brick wall whenever he asks about her and it takes the help of doctor Philip Dorn (Dr Ditten) for him to find out the truth, and he must then prepare to make his escape.

It's an interesting storyline that gets you involved from the beginning. Personally, I liked the German characters of Philip Dorn (I think he deserved a "Thank You") and Nazi General Conrad Veidt (Kurt) the best. There is also a good performance from Albert Bassermann at the beginning of the film where he is left pondering the meaning of the word coward. Incidentally, the lady playing his wife is his actual wife, Elsa Bassermann. I felt that Robert Taylor played his role as a bit of an ungrateful bastard and emerged as quite unlikable. I don't think he was realistic and I couldn't relate to him. And his old pal Felix Bressart (Fritz) was a comedy nitwit character that could have been really annoying, but as such, was just mildly annoying. Nazimova is good in her role as the mother and is involved in some memorable scenes as she is smuggled out of the concentration camp, despite being in a coffin. Is she dead or alive?

There are good scenes of dialogue between Conrad Veidt and his lover Norma Shearer (the Countess), especially when he calls her stupid. Ha ha. Nice one, Conrad. He throws some comedy out there - another example occurs when he confronts Robert Taylor about Taylor's thoughts and sense of humour - yet he still manages to retain a threatening personality. It's a shame that the film decides to give him a weak heart. The ending seems all rather convenient. And check out the bit with the stolen passport and how Nazimova makes herself up to look like the student girl's picture. Freaky!