THE CONSPIRATORS
US, 1944, 101 minutes, Black and white.
Hedy Lamarr, Paul Henreid, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, Victor Francen, Carol Thurston, V1adimir Sokoloff, Joseph, Calleia, Edward Ciannelli, Steve Geray, George Macready.
Directed by Jean Negulesco
The Conspirators is an enjoyable war espionage story - somewhat in the vein of Casablanca. It was made two years after Casablanca and features its star Paul Henreid. There is also an exotic European star in Hedy Lamarr. There is support from Sydney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre who had appeared in many Warner Bros. films at this time, including Casablanca. The setting is Lisbon. Joseph Calleia portrays a Portuguese policeman. Victor Francen and Steven Geray are the Nazis.
The film is directed by Jean Negulesco, who made a number of interesting films at Warner Bros. at this period, including Three Strangers, Humoresque, Johnny Belinda. He was to move to 20th Century Fox in the '50s and make many of their glossy comedies including Three Coins in the Fountain, Woman's World.
1. An enjoyable espionage story? World War Two propaganda? Its impact in its time? In retrospect?
2. Warner Bros. production values, the atmosphere of Lisbon - in the studio? Black and white photography? Light and darkness? The world of shadows? Lisbon, the sea and fishermen, the exotic nightclubs, police stations and prisons, Nazi embassies? The musical score?
3. The title and the focus on plots and espionage in World War Two?
4. The character of Vincent; the initial collage of his underground resistance terrorist actions? on the plane to Lisbon? His being followed? Authorities suspicious? His contacts? His going to the hotel, Irene and her sudden presence, his coping, the further contacts and his having to leave the meal? With the fishermen? The complications of the contacts? The police? The Nazis? Irene? His getting a mission, the murder in his apartment his arrest, the criticisms of Irene? His engineering his escape? His confrontation of the group, the surprise of Hugo being part of the group? The betrayal? The set-up at the hotel, the collaboration of the, Portuguese police? The discovery of the truth? His going on further missions? Love for Irene and leaving her?
5. Irene as the exotic European heroine? Her presence in Lisbon, escape from occupied territory, the patronage of Hugo, married? Her contacts, the murder in the street? her going to Vincent's table? Meeting him at the Casino? The falling in love? The truth about Hugo? Being out with her and the murder? His thinking she had betrayed him? Her visit in prison and his spurning her? His meeting the group? The group at the table and the communication of the numbers? Her being under suspicion? The happy ending?
6. The conspirators: the mixed international group (as played by people like Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet? Patriotism and suspicion? Their roles in Lisbon society? Contacts with the Nazis? communication? The build-up to the murder of Jennings? All under suspicion?
7. The arranging of the set-up at the table, the timing, the numbers on the casino table? Audience suspicions? Hugo and his relationship with the Nazis, with the Nazi presence? His bringing Irene out of Germany? Being under suspicion? Part of the conspirators? The revelation that he was the betrayer? The final chase and shooting?
8. The Portuguese and their neutrality, the policeman, his arresting Vincent, his letting him arrange the set-up? His own story about the Nazi pressures and family? The fishermen and their collaboration, the girl and her contacts?
9. The familiar group of characters from this kind of film? The behaviour, the manner of speaking? The sinister aspects of allied spies and German spies? Nazi authorities?
10. The patriotic speeches in the screenplay? The impact of this kind of film in its time? Now?
