Under Secret Orders

One of the most entertaining Euro puddings of it's day.

Spy master Erich Von Stroheim fields the fabulous Dita Parlo (AU BONHEUR DES DAMES) to scoop off military secrets. Clifford Evans and John Abott figure as a couple of blundering British agents. ("Saloniaka is full of Spies") Clair Luce from John Ford's UP THE RIVER gets a PSYCHO anticipating death scene.

Edmund Greville out-classes the Pabst/Parlo version, shots from which figure in this film's montages. The Mlle Docteur story was also filmed as Sam Wood's STAMBOUL QUEST, Alberto Lattuarda's FRAULEIN DOCTEUR and a German WW2 movie.

Pity this one isn't more widely circulated.

This film of espionage before and during World War I has a bleak story, but it is pretty well crafted and is a fairly effective movie. Considering the obviously minimal budget, the characters are pretty well-developed and the war-time settings are mostly convincing.

Erich von Stroheim gets top billing in the credits, but it is really Dita Parlo who carries the show. She portrays a young woman who is recruited by von Stroheim to work as a spy for Germany during the war, with John Loder as the British master spy opposing them. The characters are well-drawn for the most part, and all are sympathetic except for von Stroheim's. The story itself is often downbeat, and brings out the inner struggles of the spies as they pursue their duty to their countries. It works most of the time because the characters are usually worth caring for. The background of the war and the strategies involved is done with minimal expense, but it holds up well enough.

"Under Secret Orders" is worth a look if you are interested in spy films or in movies about World War I.

Dita Parlo (Dr Lesser) gets drawn into the world of espionage and becomes very good at it. She is a German spy and is tasked with obtaining British military secrets for her spy-master general Erich von Stroheim. John Loder (Peter) is the British agent who falls in love with her and doesn't realize that she is working for the other side.

The story is based on a real person so has extra interest factor. It is quick paced so you need to keep up. I found it a bit confusing but the film did manage to provide moments of tension as Dita gets into some tight situations and then there is a memorable ending where she must decide whether to flee or remain. The women are good in this film and need a mention - Claire Luce (Gaby) looks like a combination of Nina Hagen and Jean Harlowe morphed into one and has a very striking look, whilst building/brothel owner Molly Hamley-Clifford plays a very down-to-earth Madame of the establishment.