Secret Enemies

This high-speed, competent Warner B movie of how Craig Stevens becomes a G-Man, hunts down American Nazis and courts Faye Emerson in fifty-seven minutes is a rote effort that has not aged particularly well.

Robert Warwick, who had been a leading star in the 1910s and later a member of Preston Sturges' stock company, offers an engaging performance as the suave Nazi mastermind and James Van Trees' camera-work suggests that the noir influence was catching on -- although that may have been studio head Jack Warner's cheapskate habit of turning out lights. However Raymond Schrock's screenplay from a Seton Miller story does not offer much, nor do the use of montage and newspaper headlines to move the plot. This is one time-waster you needn't waste your time on.

Carl Becker (Craig Stevens) is going to meet a government agent friend. However, a group of Nazi spies get to this friend first and murder him using poison gas hidden in a radio(???). The death is ruled a suicide...and Becker knows his friend was not depressed and loved life...so he fights to get someone to investigate the case further. Eventually, his path crosses that of the Secret Service. They not only believe him but he joins the service...and spends the rest of the film trying to capture these wicked Nazis.

This is a B-movie from Warner Brothers--hence it looks a lot better than the typical B. It's also more enjoyable. However, like most B- films. this one has some lulls in the quality of the writing--with a few scenes that didn't make any sense whatsoever (such as the escape from custody from the train). Still, it is, like the best of the Bs, enjoyable and packs a lot into only about an hour.

From Warner Brothers in 1942 is a short programmer, "Secret Enemies," starring Craig Stevens as Carl Becker, a young attorney who joins the FBI after an agent friend is murdered. The ruling is suicide, but Becker knows this is not the case.

He soon learns that a hotel he frequents to see his girlfriend, a performer there, is a base for Nazi spies. It's where he was staying the night his friend, also staying there, was killed. It's up to him to find out who the Nazis are and capture them.

Faye Emerson plays Carl's girlfriend, Paula, in this large cast, along with Robert Warwick as the head Nazi, Monte Blue, Ray Teal, and Ruth Ford in smaller roles.

This is a fast-moving film with okay acting, and it's entertaining. Craig Stevens had his major success in television. He starred in many series, but the one he is most remembered for is "Peter Gunn." Faye Emerson did a great deal of stage work which is noticeable here, as she's a little over the top. She was married to Elliot Roosevelt.

Pretty good, and it's over before you know it.

December 8, 1941 is the date as the Movie begins...

and Paced Like Lightning, this WB B-Movie makes for some Interesting Stateside Wartime Intrigue as the Nazi Spies are up to Their Evil Deeds in the Heart of New York City.

There are some Heil Hitlers and Heavy Accents but, obviously, since this is Spy-Stuff, No Swastikas or Paraphernalia to be seen.

Craig Stevens, leads a Game Cast as all are in Hyper-Drive to Catch These Vermin and the Film never lets up from the Opening Set-Up as Frank Reicher is Blackmailed into Helping the Nazis because He wants to get His Sick Wife out of Germany before Hitler Declares War.

There are Gas Masks, Poison Vapors, Blackouts, Fisticuffs, and Gunplay, along with Government Agents doing Pushups getting in Shape Quickly to go up Against the "Master Race".

The Film is so Short and Full of Energy that One can Feel the 1942 Angst Dripping from the Screen. It is not so much Propaganda as a Starting Gun Rallying the Citizens with this Frantic Film.

It's got a Good Cast, but Faye Emerson is Wasted. Also of Interest is a Look at some of the "New" Technology that was Manifesting for the World War.

Secret Radio Broadcasts, Submarines (off the East Coast), hidden Gas Pellets as well as Undercover Infiltrators, Working as Doormen, Chauffeurs, and maybe Even Torch Singers.

James Cagney's classic film G-Men is reworked for a World War II era plot about a man who joins the FBI to find the people responsible for the death of his friend Charles Lang who was on the trail of a Nazi spy ring. Craig Stevens, TV's future Peter Gunn, is our protagonist stepping into the role that Cagney originated.

What Stevens does not know is that the man who helped raise him as an orphan Frank Reicher is being forced to work for some of our domestic Nazis. He owns a hotel in New York out of which the spy ring operates. Stevens is also dating the lounge singer from the hotel Faye Emerson.

If you've seen G-Men then you generally know how this film comes out. Of course there are some changes including one major change involving one of the main characters.

Secret Enemies is not likely to get a remake for modern times, it's strictly propaganda. One thing I thought was extremely dumb was the way the Nazis tried to use the same gimmick to get Stevens the way they got Jackson. You would think that since they know the FBI is on to them they'd try something different. But Nazis during World War II era films were a pretty dumb lot.

If you see this check out G-Men and you'll how the first is light years better than the remake. Might have had a lot to do with the dynamic James Cagney in the cast.