Almost Married

Diplomat Ralph Bellamy is travelling by train through Russia, when an old friend pops into his compartment. Turns out she is a spy on the lam from Russian authorities. She explains her plight and Bellamy says he will marry her to throw off the Russians.

Turns out she was already married, to a psychopath who is in an asylum. We find he is a brilliant musician who had a breakdown, and while confined he reads about his wife's remarriage. He escapes, makes his way to London to blackmail the couple - and worse.

The picture succeeds due to a bravura performance by Alexander Kirkland as the maniacal fugitive, who owns the film with an over-the-top acting job. He overshadows the star Bellamy who gives one of his patented marshmallowy portrayals as the compromised diplomat.

An excellent story with several white-knuckle scenes, all with Kirkland at the center. Well worth seeing, this film might have done better with a more ominous title as well as foregoing the rewrite to remove some scenes deemed too horrifying for 30's audiences. See it if you can, and disregard the off-putting title.

It was shown at Capitolfest, Rome, NY, 8/23 on a print from UCLA Film Archive.

******** 8/10 - Website no longer prints my star ratings.