Contraband (1940)
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
It is November 1939: the Phoney War-stage of the World War II. Denmark is still neutral, but (Danish) Captain Andersen (Conrad Veidt) and his freighter Helvig are stopped in the English Channel by Lt. Commanders Ashton (Joss Ambler) and Ellis (Harold Warrender) for a cargo inspection in a British Contraband Control Port. He receives two shore passes for himself and his First Officer Axel Skold (Hay Petrie) to dine with Ashton and Ellis, but the passes (and Helvig's motorboat) are stolen by passengers Mrs. Sorensen (Valerie Hobson) and talent scout Mr. Pidgeon (Esmond Knight). From a cut-out newspaper train schedule, Andersen is able to figure out they are taking a train to London and catches up with them; but, when the train arrives in the blacked-out metropolis, he is only able to hold on to Sorensen. He invites her to dine at the restaurant of Skold's brother Erik (also Hay Petrie). Then she takes him to the home of her aunt, where they are captured by a Nazi spy ring led by Van Dyne (Raymond Lovell), a man Sorensen has already had unpleasant dealings with in Düsseldorf, Germany. Van Dyne knows Sorensen and Pidgeon are British agents. Van Dyne finds a message hidden on one of Sorensen's cigarette papers, identifying her as "M47" and listing the names of neutral ships under which two German vessels are traveling. He decides to replace one of the names with that of an American ship to cause trouble, the United States being neutral at this time. Sorensen and Andersen are tied up, but the captain manages to escape. He brings back reinforcements in the form of Erik Skold's staff and is able to free Sorensen and knock out Van Dyne. With everything cleared up, Andersen and Sorensen resume their sea voyage. - Actors:
- Conrad Veidt, Valerie Hobson, Hay Petrie, Joss Ambler, Raymond Lovell, Esmond Knight, Charles Victor, Phoebe Kershaw, Harold Warrender, John Longden, Eric Maturin, Paddy Browne, Henry Wolston, Julian Vedey, Sydney Moncton, Hamilton Keene, Leo Genn, Stuart Latham, Peter Bull, Dennis Arundell
- Directors:
- Michael Powell
- Writers:
- Emeric Pressburger, Michael Powell
- Aka:
- Blackout
- Genres:
- Action & Adventure, Classics, Drama, Romance
- Collections:
- The Instant Expert's Guide to Powell and Pressburger
More like Contraband
Reviews (1) of Contraband
Spy Thriller. - Contraband review by Steve
With Alfred Hitchcock recently gone to Hollywood, Michael Powell shot a comedy-thriller in the master's style. The MacGuffin loosely draws on the war. A Danish merchant seaman (Conrad Veidt) is hauled into port to have his cargo inspected by customs. Then he follows his wilful, enigmatic passenger (Valerie Hobson) into a London full of German spies.
Naturally, she is working undercover for the British. And after they have worn each other out by squabbling, they fall in love. Veidt and Hobson were re-united following their 1939 hit, The Spy in Black. Veidt is a convincing sea captain, but not so much a romantic lead. Hobson is more comfortable with the romcom froth. Including a startling bondage scene.
The episodic spy story is a means to get the stars from one mysterious cliffhanger to another while they get to know each other over the long dark night. The comedy works better than the suspense, with the typically terse, tight lipped exchanges of the period. It is set in a blackout in the London fog which gives the film plenty of noirish atmosphere.
Hay Petrie is a bonus in a dual role as a sailor/restaurant owner. This is not as good as The Spy in Black, or Hitchcock's similar WWII espionage films. But the stars have a comic rapport, even if not credible as lovers. It looks like it was made quickly on a small budget, but it was a funny and entertaining diversion from the realities of the home front.