Movie Type: Glamorized Spy Film, Political Thriller
Themes: Traitorous Spies/Double Agents, Americans Abroad, Double Life
Main Cast: Joan Crawford, Fred MacMurray, Conrad Veidt, Basil Rathbone, Reginald Owen
Release Year: 1943
Country: US
Run Time: 91 minutes
Plot
If you believe all-American Fred MacMurray as an Oxford don, you'll probably swallow the rest of Above Suspicion. Newly married to Joan Crawford, MacMurray goes on a honeymoon in prewar Germany. Actually it's more business than pleasure: they are secret agents for the British, attempting to smuggle back information about a new superweapon being developed by the Nazis. Evil, mean, cruel and also wicked German officer Basil Rathbone imprisons and tortures Crawford (though she still looks like a million bucks), but McMurray comes to the rescue, paving the way for a suspenseful race-to-the-border climax. The tenor of Above Suspicion can be summed up in a scene in which, after being confronted by a monolingual stormtrooper, Fred MacMurray says in English "Nuts to you, dope!," whereupon the Nazi scratches his head and wonders aloud, "Vass iss das 'dope'?" ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Richard Ainley - Peter Galt; Cecil Cunningham - Countess; Ann Shoemaker - Aunt Ellen; Sara Haden - Aunt Hattie; Felix Bressart - Mr. A. Werner; Johanna Hofer - Frau Kleist; Lotte Palfi - Ottilie; Edith Angold - German Woman; Felix Basch - Guide; Egon Brecher - Gestapo Official; Sven Hugo Borg - German Guard; Matthew Boulton - Constable; André Charlot - Cafe Manager; Jack Chefe - Coatroom Attendant; Marcelle Corday - Maid; Wee Willie Davis - Hans; Gretl Dupont - Barmaid; Steven Geray - Anton; Lisa Golm - Frau Schultz; Frank Lackteen - Arab Vendor; Peter Lawford - Bit Part; Bruce Lister - Thornley; Eily Malyon - Manageress; Alex Papana - Man in Paris; Jean Prescott - English Girl; Frank Reicher - Col. Gerold; Otto Reichow - Gestapo; Ferdinand Schumann-Heink - Gestapo in Opera Box; Arthur Shields - Porter; Ivan Simpson - Porter; Walter O. Stahl - Policeman; Ludwig Stossel - Herr Schultz; Heather Thatcher - English Girl; Henry Victor - German Officer; Hans Von Morhart - Schmidt; Paul Weigel - Elderly Man; Rex Williams - Gestapo Leader; William Yetter, Jr. - Hauptman; Frank Arnold - Poet; Walter Bonn - German Guard; Peter Seal; Charles de Ravenne - Chasseur; Nicholas Vehr - Col. Gerold's Aides; George Davis - Proprietor
Credit
Randall Duell - Art Director, Cedric Gibbons - Art Director, Leon Gordon - Associate Producer, Irene - Costume Designer, Gile Steele - Costume Designer, Richard Thorpe - Director, George Hively - Editor, Bronislau Kaper - Composer (Music Score), Jack Dawn - Makeup, Robert Planck - Cinematographer, Victor Saville - Producer, Hugh Hunt - Set Designer, Edwin B. Willis - Set Designer, Warren Newcombe - Special Effects, Melville Baker - Screenwriter, Patricia Coleman - Screenwriter, Keith Winter - Screenwriter, Helen MacInnes - Book Author
Frances and Richard Myles (Joan Crawford and Fred MacMurray) are newlyweds honeymooning in Europe on the eve of World War II. Unexpectedly, they find themselves commissioned by the British secret service to secure the plans for a new secret weapon masterminded by the Nazis (involving magnetic mines)[1]. The trail leads them to Innsbruck where they arouse the suspicions of Gestapo chief Von Ashenhausen (Basil Rathbone). Having secured the plans, the couple find great difficulty leaving the country. Frances is captured and held in a remote castle. She is rescued by her husband and a group of British agents, and, using underground routes, the couple finally cross the border to safety.
Variety wrote, "Both MacMurray and Miss Crawford completely handled their roles, despite drawbacks of script material", and T.S. in the New York Times commented, "Joan Crawford...is a very convincing heroine."[2]
Rough Ridin' (with John P. McCarthy) •Rarin' to Go •Battling Buddy •Fast and Fearless •Hard Hittin' Hamilton •Rip Roarin' Roberts •Bringin' Home the Bacon •Thundering Romance •Gold and Grit •Full Speed •Fast Fightin' •On the Go •Double Action Daniels •Quicker 'n Lightnin' •Tearin' Loose •The Desert Demon •Saddle Cyclone •Galloping On •A Streak of Luck •The Last Card •The Roaring Rider •Trumpin' Trouble •The Fighting Cheat •Coming an' Going •The Twin Triggers •Deuce High •Easy Going •Rawhide •Speedy Spurs •Double Daring •The Dangerous Dub •Twisted Triggers •The Bonanza Buckaroo •College Days •Josselyn's Wife •The Bandit Buster •The First Night •The Cyclone Cowboy •Between Dangers •The Galloping Gobs •Tearin' Into Trouble •The Ridin' Rowdy •The Meddlin' Stranger •Pals in Peril •Skedaddle Gold •White Pebbles •The Interferin' Gent •The Soda Water Cowboy •Ride 'em High •The Obligin' Buckaroo •Roarin' Broncs •The Desert of the Lost •The Ballyhoo Buster •Desperate Courage •The Cowboy Cavalier •The Valley of Hunted Men •Saddle Mates •Flyin' Buckaroo •The Bachelor Girl •Border Romance
1930s
The Dude Wrangler •Wings of Adventures •The Thoroughbred •Under Montana Skies •The Utah Kid •The Lawless Woman •The Sky Spider •The Lady from Nowhere •Wild Horse •Grief Street •Neck and Neck •Forgotten Women •The Devil Plays •Cross Examination •Murder at Dawn •Probation •Escapade •The Midnight Lady •Forbidden Company •Beauty Parlor •Thrill of Youth •The King Murder •Slightly Married •Women Won't Tell •Secrets of Wu Sin •Forgotten •Love Is Dangerous •I Have Lived •Strange People •Notorious But Nice •A Man of Sentiment •Murder on the Campus •Rainbow Over Broadway •The Quitter •Stolen Sweets •City Park •Green Eyes •Cheating Cheaters •Secret of the Chateau •Strange Wives •Last of the Pagans •The Voice of Bugle Ann •Tarzan Escapes •Dangerous Number •Night Must Fall •Double Wedding •Man-Proof •Love Is a Headache •The First Hundred Years •The Toy Wife •The Crowd Roars •Three Loves Has Nancy •The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn •Tarzan Finds a Son!
