On Secret Service

I have been waiting to see this movie for many years and finally here it is. Thanks to the great effort in restoring this lost melodrama from the vault of the British cinema. On Secret service (aka Spy 77) is routinly directed by Arthur B. Woods. A remake of the German movie "Spione am Werk" (1933). Story in short: "Greta Nissen stars as an Italian noblewoman living a dangerous double life as a spy. A remake of the celebrated German thriller Spione am Werk. Co-starring noted German actor Karl Ludwig Diehl and American matinee idol Don Alvarado. The film takes place in Vienna, 1912. When an Austrian staff officer is implicated by association with a known Italian spy he goes on the run. Three years later - as the Great War gets into full swing - he returns and begs the Austrian Secret Service to allow him to clear his name from suspicion". Its a darkly told story, very little humor to soften up the heavy story. The movie moves a bit slowly. Wooden and seriously acted by many famous accomplished actors of its time. The glamorous Greta Nissen, normally not playing such heavy roles, should have been allowed to be a more playfull and bright character. She does parade off an amazing amount of beautiful gowns. But there are little sparks in the love scenes that could have lifted up the energy. The movie does have some moody scenes and great set designs. It is very interesting to see a British movie so dark, especially from this era, right after the pre-code, and when many other movie studioes focused on more bright and fun movies, with exceptions ofcourse. This movie does not have the feel of being an audience pleaser. There is not enough tension to make it a good thriller. Summed up "On secret service" is an very interesting watch. Fascinating to see a movie made during the 1930's that seems a bit lost and old fashion, in an era where movies were developing quikly towards a more modern look. The director chose a more heavy and dark approach in his effort to make this movie. It works against it, unfortunatly. But enjoy the movie, see some great actors, good combat scenes in the air, made in an era with plenty of tension going on in the European community.

When it comes to spy flicks, I expect a lot of action, even if it doesn't get to the level of James Bond. In this one, we get to see the background work, with people working out cryptographic messages by hand, and everyone hot to figure out who Spy 77 is... a secret known only to spymaster Karl Ludwig Diehl, in the same role he played earlier in the year in the German version of the picture, SPIONE AM WERKE. That movie, by the way, would be banned in Germany a couple of years later.

There's a pretty good cast at work here, with Greta Nissen as the beautiful spy, and Esme Percy as a blackmailing reporter, ready to name names unless his price is met. Unfortunately, there's little sense of tension in the movie, in part because of the gracefully moving camerawork of Cyril Bristow and Jack Parker. The plot moves along too slowly, and the beauty shots make it feel as if those are the point of the movie..at least until the shocking end.

The director was Arthur Woods, and this was his first movie as a director. He was a man who could handle a wide range of subjects and do a good job. Eventually, he went to work for the Americans who were satisfying the British production laws. Hie directed the fine THEY DRIVE BY NIGHT along the way. His last movie was HAUNTED HONEYMOON in 1940. Woods was a pilot, and he volunteered for the RAF. On February 8, 1944, while serving as a fighter pilot, his plane collided with another, killing him at the age of 39.

This a remake of a German film which was released just nine months earlier.This probably explains the rather curious fact that the countries the subject of this film are Austria and Italy.The plot is extremely convoluted and I have to say that I found it rather dull and unexciting.All the usual ingredients are there,codes,secret messages and of course a spy with a number,77.At the time this was made Hitler was coming to power in Germany and the German film was banned by Goebbels in 1935.One of the problems is that there were so many of this type of film made in the thirties that it pales in comparison with most.The leading actors are no match for the actors who appeared in other films.Maybe if the leads had been played by Veidt and Garbo it would have been worthwhile watching.