Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Loved this movie. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Check out our gallery of the 2021 Oscar nominees in the leading and supporting acting categories, as the characters they so brilliantly played and in real life. . He died in Munich, Germany, in December 1951, at the age of 55, unnoted and unmourned. Directed by (1) Writing credits (3) Cast (82) Produced by (3) Music by (1) Cinematography by (2) Film Editing by (1) Art Direction by (1) Costume Design by (1) Makeup Department (3) Production Management (1) Second Unit Director or Assistant Director (2) It was the first blatantly anti- Nazi film to be produced by a major Hollywood studio. … Confessions of a Nazi Spy. Bold for its time (just prior to World War II), Confessions of a Nazi Spy is an expose of a genuine Nazi espionage ring operating in the United States. Jim is a compulsive gambler. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 8, 2014. When a crusader against rackets is murdered, a grand jury battles the rackets by promoting McLaren to be in charge of the cleanup. Confessions of a Nazi Spy FBI agent Ed Renard investigates the pre-War espionage activities of the German-American Bund. Fight promoter Nick Donati grooms a bellhop as a future champ, but has second thoughts when the 'kid' falls for his sister. Released, amazingly, in 1939, it accurately predicts a great deal of how World War II would eventually play out. Confessions of a Nazi Spy is a film that shows a studio with a conscience and one that uses their platform for the greater good. Recommended viewing, great acting, a 1939 classic for my collection :), Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2019. Considered the first anti-Nazi film produced by a major studio, Confessions of a Nazi Spy (1939) follows Edward G. Robinson in the role of FBI agent Ed Renard as he investigates a Nazi espionage ring headed up by dedicated National Socialist, Dr. Kassell, played by Paul Lukas in a part he patterned after Hitler himself. The narrator does offer up the movie's most hilarious line, describing how the Germans manufacture "mass stupidity.". Available on iTunes Edward G. Robinson stars as a government agent who discovers a ring of Nazi spies operating in the United States just before World War II. as a hardcore Nazi soldier.The movie is heavy-handed propaganda which becomes almost comical with its over-dramatic narration and failure to recognize the irony in its supposed hate of propaganda. Agent Edward Renard is put in charge of the case and they methodically arrest all who have been spying. It remains a milestone of filmmaking commitment today. Outcries against movies that glorified underworld criminals put Cagneyon the side of the law in "G" Men. The City Editor of a sleazy tabloid goes against his own journalistic ethics to resurrect a twenty year old murder case... with tragic results. - Order by Phone 1-800-336-4627 1h 50m 1939. Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2018, Intriguing espionage thriller in America before WW2 with Nazi spies gathering information for Berlin. Thriller 1939 1 hr 44 min. I thoroughly enjoyed, and respected, this movie. Confessions of a Nazi Spy. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. True story of the doctor who considered it was not immoral to search for a drug that would cure syphillis. Edward G. Robinson has a cameo role in this film rather than a lead. He left Germany as the Nazis were coming to power, becoming an American citizen the year Confessions of a Nazi Spy was released. Confessions of a Nazi Spy is a 1939 American spy thriller film. It was the first major studio production to take an explicit stand on foreign policy and warn Americans about the dangers of a particular regime. Always there are those trying to get the US involved in problems and wars that have nothing to do with us. As the first major studio production to detail the growing Nazi threat to American national security, Confessions of a Nazi Spy was harsh in its condemnation of German-American groups that allied themselves with Hitler. Confessions of a Nazi Spy was based on the experiences of FBI agent, Leon G. Turrou. It remains a milestone of filmmaking commitment today. Confessions of a Nazi Spy Edward G. Robinson (Actor), Francis Lederer (Actor), Anatole Litvak (Director) This film was very effective propaganda and was labeled as such by the New York Times film critic after it debuted. . Great movie with a great actor. An FBI agent risks his life to infiltrate Nazi sympathizers in the U.S. A brilliant Park Avenue doctor becomes a criminal in order to do research into the criminal mind. Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2020. Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2017. The first half of the film explores German-American Bund membership and the development of spy rings, the latter half is more of a procedural as Edward G. Robinson's Edward Renard hunts the spy rings. Directed with hard-hitting verve by Anatole Litvak, Confessions of a Nazi Spy struck a nerve in it's era. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. The story is a brisk connect-the-dots tale that ties German-American Bund operatives (Francis Lederer, George Sanders and Paul Lukas among others) to Berlin. Crime, Certificate: Passed His gambling causes problems. Martin Kosleck-Wikipedia ).Confessions of a Nazi Spy … Jim Curtayne, formerly a successful defense attorney who is now a recovering alcoholic, attempts a comeback when he defends a neighbor's son facing a homicide charge. Chief among those connecting the dots: FBI Agent Edward Renard (Edward G. Robinson). His performance in 'Man Hunt' was better because he spoke German, and his English had a German accent. He has some great lines, particularly when cutting down the bad guys. This movie broke ground and it should be respected for that. Despite coming out two and a half years before America's involvement in WWII, Confessions of a Nazi Spy is a wonderful piece of propaganda. Confessions of a Nazi Spy - DVD-R (1939) for $11.10 from OLDIES.com Drama The story is a brisk connect-the-dots tale that ties German-American Bund operatives (Francis Lederer, George Sanders and Paul Lukas among others) to Berlin. During the first week of its run at New York's Strand Theater, for example, Confessions grossed $45,000, the largest sum I respectfully recommend its purchase. Also Germany wasn't at war with any nation and Hollywood films were playing in Germany. Confessions of a Nazi Spy (1939) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Five members of a teen-age gang, including leader Jimmy Smith, are sent to the state reformatory, presided over by the melodramatically callous Thompson. They recruited naive Americans to do their bidding so they could look innocent. Nutshell; Some German-Americans felt an attachment to their Fatherland at the outbreak of the war, and some bought into the narrative and became Nazi sympathizers. Schneider is not very bright and is easily swayed by the oratory of Dr. Karl Kassel, a prominent physician who is eventually made the head of the Nazi spy ring. Read More. In 1936, seven prisoners escape from a concentration camp. Schneider is not very bright and is easily swayed by the oratory of Dr. Karl Kassel, a prominent physician who is eventually made the head of the Nazi spy ring. Very well done. Description. Read More. Cast & Crew. View production, box office, & company info. Before his fall, however, Fritz Kuhn became a background figure in the phenomenon known as the Nazi Spy Trial. HoloLens PC Mobile device Xbox 360 Trailer. Although it seems to deliberately avoid any explicit reference to Nazi anti-Semitism, the movie does repeatedly portray Nazism as maddening, barbaric, and contrary to the very … Confessions of a Nazi Spy was banned in Japan and eighteen Latin American and European nations, including Ireland, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Argentina, Costa Rica, Sweden, Belgium and Brazil. The spy ring is rounded up, but Robinson realizes that this is only the beginning. There were death threats to all important people involved in the production of this film. … Among those whose passions are roused is Kurt Schneider who was court-martialed and dishonorably discharged from the US Army. No other studio would touch this stuff. A talented young actress seems to be under the spell of her unscrupulous, avaricious, and totally unprincipled husband. Select the department you want to search in. Dedicated National Socialist Paul Lukas arrives in America to conduct Bund rallies and enlist German-Americans in the service of Hitler. Confessions of a Nazi Spy (1939) Full Cast & Crew. Confessions of a Nazi Spy. Confessions of a Nazi Spy is an important film as the one of the first blatantly anti-Nazi films and one that decries Nazism both at home and abroad. The film stars Edward G. Robinson, Francis Lederer, George Sanders, Paul Lukas, and a large cast of German actors, including some who had emigrated from their country after the rise of Adolf Hitler. Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2020. James Cagney helped jump-start the gangster genre as The Public Enemy. this film is a masterpiece of suspence in film noir - a must watch! . Above average movie providing us with insight into the the wartime subterfuge being carried out on our home shores by various Nazi political groups of the era. Certificate: Passed Pre war Hollywood as a whole didn't want to rock the boat with Germany because Germany was such a big customer of Hollywood movies. This foray into the German-American Bund ( an organization of Neo-Nazis formed to promote a more favorable view of Nazi Germany to Americans) is well presented here with great directing and acting. Rentals include 30 days to start watching this video and 48 hours to finish once started. Film scholars refer to the 1930s as the “Golden Age of Hollywood,” a time when films were at their lavish best. But the 1930s were also the At the Strand.Ed Renard . Prior to the United States entry into World War II, Nazi spies try to steal American military secrets. Nazi strong-arm techniques and were extremely sensitive to the growth of pro-Nazi organizations in the United States.14 Confessions of a Nazi Spy opened in April 1939 and proved to be a considerable success. Shot in B&W it becomes more identifiable with wartime America in the early 40's. This is a very good film. When Schneider's contact is arrested in Scotland, the US military asks the FBI to root out the spies. “Confessions of a Nazi Spy” was filmed on a closed set, special police officers were hired to keep visitors away, there was little publicity leading up to the release (though it garnered much once it was released), and many cast members names were kept quiet. One of my favorite movies about the dangers of fascism. This FAQ is empty. It's interesting to see him on the right side of the law for once, and equally interesting to see Paul Lukas, best known for playing the anti-Nazi hero of Watch on the Rhine, playing a German sympathizer.An almost-unrecognizable George Sanders steals the show (doesn't he always?) (1939). Title: The groundbreaking film, based on actual events, brought to light what might happen if Nazis infiltrated America. Confessions of a Nazi Spy Edward G. Robinson Francis Lederer George Sanders (1939) An FBI agent (Edward G. Robinson) nabs a Nazi spy (Francis Lederer), the weak link in … Though it featured well-known actors like Lukas, George Sanders, Sig Ruman, and Edward G. Robinson (as the FBI agent who brings down the conspiracy), it was produced with torn-from-the-headlines realism. Warmers could have easily renamed Germany and the Nazis something else but they did not. After a few years ... 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