Margin for Error

"Margin for Error" is a propaganda film starring, of all people, Milton Berle! It's an odd but entertaining picture and is still watchable today.

The story begins on a transport taking soldiers to fight in Europe. One of the soldiers, Moe Finklestein (Milton Berle), tells the men a story to buck up their morale and get them to fight as a team.

It seems that before the war, Finkelstein was a New York City cop and he was given the dubious duty of being stationed at the German consulate in order to protect them. Being Jewish (heck, EVERY officer in the place was Jewish), he was loathe to accept the assignment. Once there, he comes to see that the head of the consultate, Herr Baumer (Otto Preminger) is a nasty piece of work. Baumer gives ample reason for everyone there to kill him and ultimately when he dies, it's "Murder on the Orient Express"! Who did it and why? See the film.

This film is unique because most WWII propaganda films are incredibly serious. But this one has a lot of comedic elements which make it a welcome break. Well worth your time...and...oddly...fun.