La amenaza oculta

I don't mind no frills films if they are intelligent and have an interesting story. But Criminals Within refers to criminal elements in our Army itself working with enemy agents. This one is barely worth a look.

Our protagonist is Eric Linden who is the brother of a scientist working on something or other, we never really find out exactly what, at an army base. When the brother is killed Linden goes AWQL looking for the killers. The problem is that the agents know he's looking for them because of spies on the base.

The spies work out of a cobbler shop where one of the spies on the base, a real Mata Hari played by Constance Worth sends her shoes to be repaired. He always balks saying he doesn't work on women's shoes, but with a little persuasion because secret information is hidden in them he'll work. Worth is the courier, but who's the boss?

No frills I don't mind, but a coherent story is never a frill.

Joseph Lewis, later renowned for lifting standards above what might be expected for the second features that he was generally given to direct, through adept management of his actors as well as skillful editing, simply goes through the motions here with a low-budget PRC film that is completed in 1941, before formal entry of the United States into World War II, and it is a carelessly written espionage tale akin to pulp fiction of its day, with scant cinematic substance and ragged production values. When Professor Carroll, a U.S. Army scientist is murdered after formulating a powerful chemical explosive, Military Intelligence assumes the criminal investigation, leading to an apparent foreign spy ring that, along with M.I., is seeking to forestall inquiries being made by Carroll's younger brother, Army Corporal Greg (Eric Linden) whose aim (while AWOL) of locating his sibling's killer interferes with his pursuers as Greg is known to have had in his possession a list of other researchers involved in the development of the explosive who are, therefore, in danger. Greg's slapdash antics while escaping from his Post stockade and from military investigators, as well as from a contingent of spies, are entertaining only to him but Linda (Ann Doran), a reporter, takes an interest in Corporal Carroll because she needs more information from him in order to complete and file a news story about the affair, and the two are presently in trouble from all sides, especially from a diverse collection of alien agents, all seemingly as American as apple pie. This is a disappointing effort with often startlingly trite dialogue that renders ineffective any attempts by the players to create believable roles, and spirit is missing from a narrative within which nothing results from anything. However, there are veteran troupers on board here who give better service than their assigned lines deserve. A scene stealing comedic Negro couple, played by Dudley Dickerson and Bernice Pilot, give nicely natural performances, while acting honours go to Doran, whom fate has determined will be underrated, as she gives life to her part, and it is pleasant to watch Dennis Moore, although in a small part; capable Donald Curtis is trounced by his largely silly lines and Constance Worth appears to be playing to a mirror in a film that moves briskly but includes precious few sequences that will be of any interest to most viewers.

This early semi-noir – which was actually shelved for some two years! – from director Lewis (who would later deservedly acquire a cult reputation) is a thoroughly routine if convoluted programmer, albeit pacy and short enough to be tolerable nonetheless.

Being a wartime production, of course, it involves secret formulas and foreign agents – while the young military hero is, for most of the duration, mistaken for both murderer and spy (actually, the eminent scientist killed in the opening moments is his brother). He's later joined by a female reporter in his effort to outwit the villains – who use a cobbler shop in the vicinity of a U.S. military base (already infiltrated by two members) to pass information to the enemy. For the record, the film includes some now politically incorrect footage involving colored persons employed in servile capacities (even if they get to take part in the climax naturally depicting the comeuppance of the spy ring); by the way, the wrap-up to the film is most abrupt!

Though, as I said, Lewis would eventually become a force to be reckoned with in "Film Noir" (MY NAME IS JULIA ROSS [1945], GUN CRAZY [1950] and THE BIG COMBO [1955]), there's very little evidence of the style typically associated with the genre here. Incidentally, another early film of his I'd watched was the mildly entertaining Bela Lugosi vehicle INVISIBLE GHOST (1941); this, then, reminds me that I've recently acquired another popular 'B' horror effort which Lewis directed – namely THE MAD DOCTOR OF MARKET STREET (1942), starring Lionel Atwill, and which I may get to sooner rather than later on the strength of this (being from the same era and all)

The plot development of this film is very serviceable -- everything is laid out a half reel to a reel before you need to remember who said what -- and there are no cheats, no "bzzz-bzzz" whispered bits to cover plot holes. It all develops very naturally, with a rather outstanding cast of character actors livening up the proceedings.

Ben Alexander is one of my favourite gentle actors, and he wowed me here. Dudley Dickerson and Bernice Pilot are enjoyable as comedic servants with a central role in moving the plot forward on several occasions. I. Standofrd Jolley is at his handsomest and most sinister -- a great non-Western role for this versatile villain. Ann Doran is nice too. Oh, and Boyd Irwin is so British as an American colonel -- quite splendid -- and kudos too to the prolific Robert Frazier, always good looking in uniform, and an intriguing actor.

The print i saw was remarkably clear and crisp, with good sound quality, something worth mentioning in a PRC picture. The end of the film comes very suddenly -- one wonders if some footage is missing -- and there is no musical score to heighten the drama of some otherwise very tense scenes. In fact, i think that had this film been scored, film critics who like Joseph Lewis' "Gun Crazy" (and who doesn't?) would compare this movie much more favourably to that film noir cult classic than they have. The scenes in which people move from room to room, doors locking and opening behind them, menace just out of sight, are exemplary film-making, but seem dulled a bit due to the complete lack of a score.

Well, i may be in the minority, but i liked this film a lot. I wonder why it was held two years, lacks a proper ending (by which i mean the extra two to three minutes of wrap-up dialogue one would expect), and was released with no score.... Something odd about that. Anyway, It is well worth a look.

But beware, this pure propaganda spy drama has absolutely nothing to do with GUN CRAZY, TERROR IN A TEXAS TOWN or even SO DARK THE NIGHT, also directed by this so gifted director, who, despite the fact he was a B director, has his own trademark: interesting camera angles, as also Sidney J Furie - for another period, I admit. This one is a good time waster however, but I did not notice some of those Joseph H Lewis' tricks with the camera and directing trademark. Anyway, it is easy to purchase, so you can try it, don't bother the short length. But if you want to really appreciate this exceptional film maker, start with SO DARK THE NIGHT,made four years later.