Joan Crawford had been loyal to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer since they gave her her start in 1925. Incidentally, Colbert would have made an excellent Frances had Crawford declined. His entertaining dance floor sequence is a highlight of the film.įred MacMurray was making a departure from his recent Claudette Colbert comedy teamings to take a dramatic turn and this role suits him quite well. Veidt died of a massive stroke shortly after filming commenced and Hollywood lost one of its most talented actors because of his passing.
Veidt was often pigeon-holed as villains and it's a pleasant change of face to see him play this underground hero. Conrad Veidt is especially appealing in his role as Herr Seidel, one of the Brit's loyal allies within Germany. In addition to our leading cast, Above Suspicion features some excellent character support from Basil Rathbone, Felix Bressart, Reginald Owen, Richard Ainley, Bruce Lester and Sara Haden. En route, our American heroes stumble upon cryptic clues, all the while being spied on with peering abnormality by dubious faces and sundry characters their only key to unmasking friends from foes lies within the lyrics to Robert Burns eighteenth century melody. Richard and Frances are no different, and Frances is especially thrilled to help the British secret service but, unlike his wife, Richard realizes the danger ahead. "Darling, the less you know, or appear to know, the better"Īt one time or another we're all drawn in by the allure of being a spy deciphering codes, staking out suspicious bookshop fronts, wearing disguises, hiding out in secluded chalets and, of course, capturing public enemies. Above Suspicion was released at the height of World War II, a time when so many American and British citizens were eager to make an active contribution to corking up the war for good.
The film plays out along the lines of Desperate Journey with grand morale-boosting elements but very little plausibility.but perhaps that's what makes both of these pictures so entertaining. Its purely escapist plot is given credibility through its deft handling by director Richard Thorpe ( Night Must Fall, Ivanhoe ) and its stellar cast. Above Suspicion, based on the novel by Helen MacInnes, is an easy-to-follow and briskly paced thriller with some rattling good moments of excitement.
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