The Spy in Black (1939, Michael Powell)

Throughout the 1940s in Britain, no one made better films than the great Michael Powell with the help of Emeric Pressburger. Together they made some of the greatest films ever made, such as The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, Black Narcissus and The Red Shoes. They brought pure Technicolor magic to the silver screen, excited millions and influenced many directors, most notably Martin Scorsese.

This great team-up started back in 1939 with this little film titled The Spy in Black (released as U-Boat 29 in North America). Michael Powell as the director and Pressburger as the screenplay writer. This is one of the better films of Powell's low budget lesser known films and was only made as a quota quickie in the American studios by the British units.

It stars black listed German actor Conrad Veidt in one of his best roles as Captain Hardt who is the captain of the German U-Boat 29. Set in World War I in 1917, Captain Hardt's orders are to head out to the Orkney Islands in Scotland on an under-cover mission and sink 10 of their battleships.

How must he do this? The Germans have abducted and eliminated a school teacher named Miss Burnett and replaced her with a young female German spy to their knowledge. Captain Hardt must now go under cover and meet up with "Miss Burnett" and together they meet up with a disgraced British officer named Lt. Ashington who will give them information on the battleships for a hansom price. However, in the midst of all this, Hardt becomes jealous of Miss Burnett as he begins to fall in love with the school teacher.

Released in the 1939, the eve of World War II, this is an excellent piece low-budget Spy Yarn and a great tale of deception and thrills. It's not the easiest film to find, but it is most definitely worth the look.

Rating: 4 / 4