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Above
Suspicion
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 Von Aschenhausen is suspicious. |
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 Time in its flight and the war in its waging have
robbed this elaborate espionage melodrama of interest and suspense
which might have been factors in its favor when such matters as
magnetic mines were rumors instead of realities and Germany was a
place where American tourists were, as the title indicates, "above
suspicion" technically if not actually. At this point in the world
of events, the subject is dated beyond the power of player like Joan
Crawford, Fred MacMurray, Conrad Veidt, Basil Rathbone, Reginald
Owen and their associates to lend it sustained thrill or fascination
for today's customers.The period is Summer of 1939 and the screenplay by Keith Winter, Melville Baker and Patricia Coleman sets MacMurray and Miss Crawford down in Germany as honeymooners secretly trying to establish contact, for the British Foreign Office, with a British agent possessing the formula of Germany's reported magnetic mine. By a fantastic sequence of indirect tips, conveyed to them by means which require of them an intimate familiarity with a Liszt concerto, they are led to the agent sought, acquire the formula and escape to Italy after knocking out, shooting and otherwise disposing of Nazi storm troopers who try to thwart them. Pains taken in emphasizing the subtlety of informational communication serve to discount rather than enhance the basically preposterous story. Others in the cast are Richard Winley, Cecil Cunningham, Ann Shoemaker, Sara Haden, Felix Bressart, Bruce Lester, Johanna Hofer and Lotta Palfi. Production is by Victor Saville, with Leon Gordon in association, and direction is by Richard Thorpe. William R. Weaver —Motion Picture Daily, April 28, 1943 |
 Von Aschenhausen tries to reassure Richard and Frances Myles |
 He arrives with the Gestapo to arrest the Myleses. |
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 "Above
Suspicion," from the novel by that same name, is an exciting story of
a dangerous mission into Nazi-dominated Germany in 1939 to obtain the
blueprints of a secret weapon. On the first day of their honeymoon, an
American-born Oxford professor, Richard Myles, and his wife are
waylaid by a member of the British Foreign Office and persuaded to
take the assignment because, as care-free vacationers bound for the
Tyrol, they will be "above suspicion." They are given the names of no
agents, only the mysterious symbol of the rose, which as a flower in
the wife's hate, in musical refrains and in pointed conversations,
leads them from one rendezvous to another. In Germany they encounter
two former Oxford students, one who has run afoul of the Gestapo, and
the other who becomes more sinister as their venture progresses and
puts them in imminent peril of their lives. Toward the end the action
is hair-raising, but one feels sure the two Americans will survive,
because it is that kind of a story.An amusing flow of dialogue, sometimes on the sophisticated side, keeps the film from becoming too heavy. The photography is very interesting, particularly in the scenes from the Liszt festival, and the beautiful concert music is introduced with telling effect. Fred MacMurray and Joan Crawford do good team work, while especially fine performances are turned in by Conrad Veidt, Basil Rathbone and Richard Ainley. —Motion Picture Reviews, May/June 1943 |
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 "They've escaped with Mespelbrunn!" |
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 Fair. This spy melodrama, the action of which takes
place just prior to the present war, does not rise above the level of
program fare; it will need the popularity of the novel, from which the
story is adapted, and the drawing power of the stars, to put it
across. the beginning is pretty interesting, but it gradually peters
out and ends in a somewhat unconvincing fashion. Not only is the story
far-fetched, but the treatment lacks originality, and the plot tends
to confuse one because of the injection of numerous incidents that are
left unexplained. The cast tries hard to make something of their
roles, but they are hampered by poor material:—As they prepare to leave for the Continent on a honeymoon, Fred MacMurray, American professor at Oxford, and Joan Crawford, his bride, are entrusted with a secret mission by the British Foreign Office, which asks them to establish contact with a British agents, who had in his possession the secret of Germany's magnetic mines. The agent had disappeared mysteriously in Southern Germany. In Paris, Joan and MacMurray learn from other agents that they must travel to Nurnberg. Arriving there, they are approached by Conrad Veidt, a well-mannered Austrian, who offers his services as a guide. They turn him down. An innkeeper gives them a book on the life of Liszt in which they find further instructions. That evening they attend a concert during which a high Nazi Official is slain. Held for questioning, the two are finally released when Basil Rathbone, a former German student at Oxford, vouches for MacMurray. After following many clues, Joan and MacMurray learn that the plans were in the possession of Dr. Reginald Owen. They make their way to Owen's home, only to find that Owen had disappeared, and the Rathbone and Veidt were occupying the premises. After and exchange of pleasantries, they leave the house accompanied by Veidt, who reveals that he, too, is a British agent, and that Dr. Owen was held prisoner in an upstairs room of his home. They steal back into the house and release Owen. Aware that they were now known to the Gestapo, Joan and MacMurray separate, and arrange to meet in Innsbruck. But the plan is foiled by Rathbone, who apprehends Joan. When MacMurray and Veidt learn of this, they go to her rescue. They find her in a prison camp being questioned and tortured by Rathbone. They kill Rathbone and, using his official stamp, vise their passports and escape across the border to safety. Keith Winter, Melville Baker, and Patricia Coleman wrote the screen play, Victor Saville produced it, and Richard Thorpe directed it. —Harrison's Reports, May 1, 1943 |
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 Von Aschenhausen interrogates Frances Myles |
 a nice close-up |
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 AUDIENCE SLANT: (Family) Has edge-of-the-seat
tension and excitement; will satisfy any audience.BOX OFFICE SLANT: The Crawford and MacMurray names plus fact that story is based on best seller will pre-sell the picture. Should be a big money maker in all situations. Plot: An American professor at Oxford and his bride leave for the continent on their honeymoon because they are entrusted with a secret assignment by the British Foreign Office. The order is to find out what happened to a British agent in south Germany, who mysteriously disappeared. They have many close calls before they carry out their mission successfully. Comment: There is little doubt but that this will be big money maker and the main effort should be in extra booking. The Crawford and MacMurray names pre-sell the picture, and for those who may not be pre-sold by the names, there is the best-seller, "Above Suspicion," on which the picture is based. From the beginning it has a pace that you feel carrying you on from quick but even speed to a racing climax that gives that edge-of-the-seat tension and excitement. Finished troupers both, Miss Crawford and Fred MacMurray are at home with the difficult roles of civilian honeymooners who take on the strange and unusual job of spies on a trip through Germany. Rising out of nowhere on this perilous expedition, disappearing and appearing again when most needed, Conrad Veidt plays the part of an assistant in the underground with evident pleasure and though only in a small role, stands out for a beautiful and delightful portrayal. The production by Victor Saville, with Leon Gordon as his associate producer, is impressive with reality and helps greatly to give the story full opportunity to come out over the audience like a three-dimensional creation. Richard Thorpe, directing, has retained the suspense and speed of action which brings the end to a gripping climax. Here is a picture which should be sold, not because it needs selling for an ordinary intake, but because it will fill the corners and aisles if given full support. The "names" alone are sufficient if given supporting showmanship. —Showmen's Trade Review, May 1, 1943 |
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 Richard strangles von Aschenhausen. |
 Von Aschenhausen is shot. |
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Enjoy the trailer for the film:
Back to Page One. See Page Three for pictures of posters, lobby cards and promo photos.
Images on this page and pages one and three are from the film "Above Suspicion," copyright MGM.
