Hollywood, England Expects

Two headlines, two movies. The top one is from MGM’s ABOVE SUSPICION, directed by scowling killjoy Richard Thorpe (at least, Esther Williams found him so, and I feel Esther can be believed), in which Fred MacMurray takes Joan Crawford spying on their honeymoon. The second comes out of CONFIRM OR DENY, a Fox wartime newspaper story originally authored by Sam Fuller, who knew war and newspapers. The big-budget recreations of the Blitz are pretty staggering ~

But I mainly liked it for the thousand faces of Roddy McDowell. Here are some ~

Fritz Lang shot for two weeks on CONFIRM OR DENY before walking off, to be replaced by Archie Mayo. Lang might have enjoyed ABOVE SUSPICION more if he’d had a shot at it: it’s a mash-up of spy movie tropes including business nicked from the original MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH (assassination timed to timpani).

The most arresting moment is when Conrad Veidt demonstrates the smooth hinges of an iron maiden — and it’s the very one he was pressed into at the start of THE MAN WHO LAUGHS, fifteen years before in his Hollywood starring role. This is his last film.

Picture Play Magazine had a piece about this prop in 1928, stating that it was now on display in a Hollywood museum: it evidently remained available to filmmakers at least into the forties.

ABOVE SUSPICION stars Walter Neff; Blanche Hudson; Gwynplaine/Lord Clancharlie; Sherlock Holmes; Ebenezer Scrooge; Aunt Patsy; Miss Margaret Phillibrown; Aunt Milly; Comrade Buljanoff; Mistress Hibbins; Timmons; Adolf Hitler / Franz Huber; Henri Cassin; Evan Adams III; Mrs. Cruncher; and Young Lieutenant – Firing Squad.

CONFIRM OR DENY stars Alexander Graham Bell; Madame Blanc; Cornelius; Ianto; E.J. Waggleberry; Reverend Cyril Playfair; Sir Alfred MacGlennon-Keith; Velma Wall; Mrs. Troll; Uncle Arn; Inspector Lestrade; Sir Mortimer Fortescue; and Knuckles.