British Agent

"British Agent" succeeds in being both thought-provoking, and emotionally engaging. It would've been easy to lose the characters in the history lesson, but, fortunately, even the supporting cast make an impression and make you care about what happens to them. There is genuine tension, and grief at the deaths which occur. I thought there was a good balance between expository dialogue and action scenes, as well.

True, at 80 minutes the story is rushed - it could've been a bit longer, especially to give more depth to the relationship that develops between Steve (Leslie Howard) and Elena (Kay Francis). They seem to declare love rather quickly. However, thanks to the good actors involved, it's not too implausible. One feels sympathy for all the characters, and understanding of both sides - no small feat, considering the opposing political views.

This film provides an effective introductory history lesson, a relatively unbiased portrayal of two different countries/ideologies, and a gripping love story. It's not easy to juggle all these elements into a cohesive whole, but I believe "British Agent" does a fine job of educating *and* entertaining. Sometimes you *can* mix business with pleasure.