Surrender

...of this prisoner-of-war drama from Fox and director William K. Howard. During the final months of World War One, a P. O. W. Camp is set up near a Prussian castle. French prisoner Dumaine (Warner Baxter) plots his escape until he falls in love with Axelle (Leila Hyams), the beautiful granddaughter of the senile Count (C. Aubrey Smith) who resides in the castle. The camp commandant, the horribly scarred Captain Ebbing (Ralph Bellamy), loves Axelle as well, setting the stage for further conflict. Also featuring Alexander Kirkland, William Pawley. Howard Phillips, George Beranger, Bodil Rosing, Joe Sawyer, J. Carrol Naish, and Virginia Weidler in her film debut.

Director Howard, working with cinematographer James Wong Howe, adds a lot of visual panache, with moody shadow play throughout. Baxter is kind of bland, as is Hyams, but the latter looks good. The usually reliable Smith plays his character so broadly that his scenes descend into farce. Bellamy has one of his most interesting roles as the tragic Ebbing, a decent man at heart whose war injuries have left a bit twisted mentally. He makes the whole film worthwhile.