Spies at Work (1933)
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| Original title | Spies at work |
| Country of production | Germany |
| original language | German |
| Publishing year | 1933 |
| length | 83 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Gerhard Lamprecht |
| script |
Georg C. Klaren Herbert Juttke based on a novella by Max W. Kimmich and Georg C. Klaren |
| production |
Gregor Rabinowitsch Arnold Pressburger |
| music | Giuseppe Becce |
| camera |
Fritz Arno Wagner Robert Baberske Robert Weichel (aerial photos) |
| occupation | |
and Albert Hörmann , Rudolf Lettinger , | |
Spione am Werk is a German feature film from 1933 by Gerhard Lamprecht with Brigitte Helm and Karl Ludwig Diehl in the leading roles. The film is based on a novella by Max W. Kimmich and Georg C. Klaren .
action
Austria-Hungary in 1912: The Austrian secret service finds out that the Italian noblewoman Marcella Galdi, who is currently visiting Vienna, works as a spy for her country. In order to avoid diplomatic entanglements, she is kidnapped and secretly expelled to Italy while she is dancing with the Austrian General Staff Officer Michael von Hombergk at a ball in the Hotel Sacher . A little later, a secret plan of an Austrian fortification lands on von Hombergk's desk. Hombergk can't figure out how this highly explosive document got there. Apparently this was done to disavow the officer with his own people. Hombergk's superiors then put him under pressure, since it is now assumed that he would work for the other side and be a spy in Italy's service. Hombergk is urged to commit suicide, but he doesn't even think about it and flees Vienna.
Three years later, Austria and Italy are at war. Von Hombergk returns to Vienna and asks his former employer, the secret service, to be able to clear his name from the earlier allegations. He finally wants to know who tried to disavow him as a traitor and spy. So he is dressed up as an Italian officer and jumps over enemy territory. Hombergk immediately comes under fire and is injured in the process. Finally, he ends up unconscious in a hospital, where he was admitted as an unknown Italian officer. Marcella, who has been entrusted by the Italian state with tracking down enemy spies, discovers him there to her great surprise. Since she loves Michael, she does not reveal him, but neither does she reveal the name of the agent who once brought Hombergk into such trouble in his own country. She expects him to return to Austria as soon as possible.
Hombergk does not even think of returning to Vienna after his recovery, but, now disguised as an Italian civilian, takes the train to Rome to contact an Austro-Hungarian agent, the antiques dealer Davila. During the train ride, he met a certain Mr. Blünzli, allegedly a Swiss man, who didn't seem particularly trustworthy to him. Hombergk strengthened his contacts in Rome and met new people who were important to him, such as Count Valenti, a respected collector of paintings, and the head of the Italian counterintelligence, Captain Romanelli. Hombergk learns that the traitor is supposed to work under the code name "Agent K 77". He also meets Marcella again. Although disappointed that he did not leave Italy as she wished, she does not reveal him this time either. Instead, they both spend a night of love together.
When Romanelli appears at Marcella the next day, she believes he came because he found out Hombergk's true identity. Therefore, the Marchesa hides her lover from enemy territory again. From the conversation between the two of them, which Hombergk secretly overhears, he hears that K 77 is expected back from Vienna today. Romanelli gives his subordinate Marcella the order to bring him together with K 77 at Count Valenti's upcoming ball, as he does not know K 77 personally. Back in his hotel room, Hombergk expects a nasty surprise: Blünzli, who knows the train, is already in the room and is well informed about Hombergk's mission. He blackmailed the Austrian aristocracy with his knowledge, but showed himself willing to work for Vienna if he was rewarded princely for it.
Michael von Hombergk has finally found the K 77. When this is to be brought back to Austria by plane from Rome, Hombergk succeeds in taking the post of pilot. Marcella, who found out about Hombergk's plan, tries to prevent his departure at the last moment when the brutal and unscrupulous Blünzli appears and shoots her without further ado. Blünzli is arrested by Italian forces, while Hombergk manages to take off with the plane and the valuable passenger on board for home. Back at home, he handed K 77 over to his own people and, severely marked by the pain of losing Marcellas and restored to his honor, reported to the fighting troops.
Production notes
Spione am Werk was created from mid-December 1932 to mid-February 1933 in the Ufa studio in Neubabelsberg . The German premiere took place on March 31, 1933 in Berlin's Gloria Palast . The film was shown for the first time in Vienna on March 29, 1933.
Composer Giuseppe Becce was also the musical director. Fritz Seidel took care of the sound, Viktor von Struve assisted director Lamprecht. Erich Zander designed the film structures carried out by Karl Weber . The military advice was provided by Karl Zitterhofer on the Austrian side and Ruggero Laderchi on the Italian side. Igor Oberberg was a camera assistant.
In Austria the film could be seen under two titles: The Woman in Fire and Kaiserjäger in Fire . Spies at Work was established under the guidance of leading officers of the First World War and banned again by the film inspection agency on October 9, 1935. Due to the military issue, the Allied military censorship also banned the strip in 1945.
British version
Also in 1933, a British version of this material was created under the direction of Arthur B. Woods under the title On Secret Service , which also had the same leading actor as Diehl. The Norwegian Greta Nissen played the helmet role , the remaining actors were British:
- CM Hallard: from Waldmüller
- Austin Trevor: Adjutant Larco
- Lester Matthews : Coronello Romanelli
- Cecil Ramage: Da Villa
- Don Alvarado : Count Valenti
- Esmé Percy: Bluentzli
- Wallace Geoffrey: B 18
The film was first shown on December 15, 1933.
Reviews
The Österreichische Film-Zeitung reported in its April 1, 1933 edition: “Spy films can always count on the interest of the public. The possibility of glimpsing the secret workings of espionage, the activities of which come to light with serious and decisive effects, and the tension aroused by the determined boldness of bloody action, by the fantasy and diversity of the means of communication used in the secret service, form a strong one Temptation for a large number of visitors, especially when a film is imaginatively staged, like 'The Woman in Fire'. "
Paimann's film lists found: “The nerve-wracking war behind the fronts described in report form, interwoven and original footage from the foremost positions, which reinforce this impression: absolutely exciting, factual, without leading article phrases in the dialogue. Tight direction, the ensemble sympathetic, concise in gesture and language. Often a bit urgent, but otherwise appropriate purpose music (Becce) and careful presentation […] Overall quality: well above average ”.
The author and critic Karlheinz Wendtlandt wrote: “Espionage - that means changeful, exciting, dangerous act. The prudent director Gerhard Lamprecht has tastefully summarized all the advantages of this genre. He created images and episodes of captivating clarity that never allow boredom. Then there are the good actors. We experience Karl Ludwig Diehl with genteel restraint. Brigitte Helm is a victim of her job. She walks this path of suffering coolly and consistently. Everyone is in the right place. Oskar Homolka must be mentioned in particular in the role of a corrupt and cunning trader. "
See also
Web links
- Spies at work in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Spies at work at filmportal.de
- Spies at work on filmposter-archiv.de
- Spies at the work of Berliner Illustrierter Film-Kurier No. 1949
Individual evidence
- ^ Spies at work / Kaiserjäger im Feuer , Illustrierter Film-Kurier Vienna No. 581 at virtual-history.com
- ↑ Ulrich J. Klaus: Deutsche Tonfilme 4th year 1933. P. 174 (0109.39), Berlin 1992
- ↑ Die Frau im Feuer Article in: Österreichische Film-Zeitung , 1. 041933 2, p. Die Frau im Feuer (online at ANNO ).
- ↑ Woman in Fire In: Paimann's film lists
- ^ Karlheinz Wendtland: Beloved Kintopp. All German feature films from 1929–1945 with numerous artist biographies born in 1933 and 1934, edited by the author Karlheinz Wendtland, Berlin, Chapter: Films 1933, Film No. 39.
