After Tonight

I would rate this film as a competent time killer, something that Depression audiences went to see to forget about their troubles for an hour or so and which we small screen home viewers can watch to slip out of contemporary reality and give our brains a break. Constance Bennett occupies space attractively and goes through the motions of "acting" in her role as a coolheaded (and well dressed) spy operating behind Austro-Hungarian lines for the Russians in World War I. It's fun and intriguing to watch her collect and pass on her secret messages, all the while growing ever closer romantically to a spy-hunting Austrian military official (Gilbert Roland). An extremely contrived ending perfectly suits this confection.

Constance Bennett was sublime in this. This film, unlike some others in which she starred, made it easy to see why she was a star. The plot is intriguing, if not overwhelmingly original, and the film is made very well. The theme song of the film, which Bennett sings (well), is memorable and sweet. Bennett is a glamour queen throughout and acts skillfully and pleasingly. The direction is overall excellent, the film moves at a brisk pace, and the sets and situations are not too stagy. It compares remarkably well to another spy melodrama of the period, Garbo's MATA HARI, and of the two, Bennett surprisingly comes out the winner (no disservice to the great Garbo intended, just some praise to the underrated and forgotten Bennett).

WWI has broken out. Everybody is desperate to buy train tickets out of Luxembourg, but they are only accepting gold or silver. A woman (Constance Bennett) is trying to get to Vienna, but she can't even change her money. Capt. Rudolf 'Rudy' Ritter (Gilbert Roland) comes to her rescue. The train is stopped short and she disappears before they even exchange names. Rudy is in the Austrian Ministry of War which is desperate to find Russian spies. His mystery lady turns out to be a spy pretending to be a nurse. Rudy is sent to root out persistent leaks in her sector.

This is fine. I like the premise of Rudy falling for a mystery lady on a train who turns out to be his target. I like less the coincidence of Rudy being sent to her location. If he's a good detective, I want him to search her specifically. He's in love and he should go look for her. Both actors are doing fine for their roles. I would like more intensity as it nears the climax. The ending turns into a funny bit about her name. I'm not looking for that, but it's fine.

This is a fairly gripping spy thriller. Believably plotted and well acted.

Constance Bennett is new to me but I can see why she was a star in the 30s. She strikes no false notes throughout this movie. And as a character, her WWI Russian spy is surprisingly strong. Most of the dames in the 30s were such pushovers.

Gilbert Roland was just so dashing it's really unfair to the rest of the world's men. He successfully puts across how torn he is, having to choose love or country.

Had they ended the movie with the second-last scene, this probably would be regarded as a close-to-classic of the genre. Unfortunately - and I'm gonna blame studio meddling here - they tack on one final scene, whereupon the air really comes out of the balloon.

Nevertheless, I'll watch it again when TCM programs it.

This tale of espionage and high risk romance begins at a Paris railroad depot as Karen Schöntag, the Austrian alias of the Russian Carla Vanirska (Constance Bennett) attempts to board an overbooked train for Vienna.

Well, as good fortune, perhaps, would have it, Captain Rudolph "Rudy" Ritter (Gilbert Roland), en route to Vienna himself, to his newly-promoted position as Captain of an Austrian intelligence agency, enables Karen/Carla to accompany him because he instantly succumbs to her charms and graces.

Now, the balance of the film transpires in Vienna, as Rudy and Major Lieber (Edward Ellis) lead the search for the capture of the dangerous enemy agent "K-14," who cleverly delivers coded messages to comrades of a Russian insurgency movement to attempt to overthrow the government in Austria. (Well, keep in mind that this is a 1933 release, and before the period of WWII German occupation.)

So, you may pretty well guess the identity of K-14 from the list of IMDb cast credits, but what a clever operator K-14 turns out to be, writing those secret coded messages in invisible ink, folding them into the pages of books, entering the secret rendezvous locations, tapping the steps of a staircase by the shoe, and delivering the set of books to a fellow agent, who hides beneath the staircase to slide a secret panel to receive them.

Fans of the Classics may find many elements of manners, glamor and suspense, with the lovely leading lady carrying the film, all reasons to tune into vintage films. "After Tonight," well staged with excellent cinematography, does, however, seem to have a screen-story of conflicting allegiance for fans to wonder whom or what we're supposed to be rooting for here.

According to IMDb, "The film lost $100,000 at the box office, which made the studio (RKO Radio Pictures) consider firing Miss Bennett," making her the scapegoat in an awkwardly scripted outing, which seems to loose its direction and climax in a rather somewhat implausible finale.

But Constance Bennett does carry the film well, as its prime attraction, and she handles the material to cause even the more irate critics to care about her character--especially after bodies begin to fall victim to conflicts between the caucuses.

So, in addition to Miss Bennett, Mr. Roland and Mr. Ellis, you may also recognize Sam Godfrey as Franz, Lucien Prival as Lieutenant Erlich, Mischa Auer as Agent Lehan, and Virginia Weidler in the role of Olga, Carla's Niece.

And it would also be nice to score with half-points here and there.

Edit 03/24/16 -- "...first sentence saying it begins in a Paris railroad station. It actually begins in Luxembourg, which is a different country and 250 miles away." -- (Thanks for correction, IMDb Member blakedw.)