Thursday, January 01, 1998

The Spy In Black

V-003434 / G / GB / 1939 / Powell, Michael / war / spy

Spy In Black, The / Kaksoisagentti. PC: Harefield Productions; Alexander Korda. EX: Alexander Korda. D: Michael Powell. SC: Emeric Pressburger - based on the novel by J. Storer Clouston. PD: Vincent Korda. M: Miklos Rosza. CAST: Conrad Veidt (Captain Hardt), Valerie Hobson (Joan the Schoolmistress / spy). B&w Academy. 79’ /25 fps/ = 82’ /24 fps/. DIST: Finnkino. A timecoded PAL VHS big screen projection in Helsinki, VET, Wednesday, 31 December 1997. *** The first collaboration of the dynamic duo Powell & Pressburger. They were brought together by Alexander Korda, who had been developing this project before either were called. This is the first Finnish release of the film, never seen in Finnish cinemas, television, or video distribution before. It was not banned during WWII, but would have had it been submitted to the Finnish Film Chamber. The story takes place in Scotland during WWI in 1917. Conrad Veidt the German submarine captain meets Valerie Hobson the British contraband. It would probably look great on film. A part of Finnkino’s great Alexander Korda package to be released on video, this belongs to their true discoveries.

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