As most film fans know, familiar plot elements continually pop up in different films over the years. Originality is hard to come by in a business that always needs a constant replenishment of product. Nazi Agent (NA) is a case in point.
The good-bad twins idea is certainly not new. Apart from Dead Ringer, there is Olivia de Havilland's dramatic film The Dark Mirror. And the concept of a person attempting to impersonate his look-alike relative to do good is of course a common thread found in the many versions of The Prisoner Of Zenda. Furthermore, the device of a heroine being fooled into believing one look alike is really the other was also well used in the Zenda films (see Princess Flavia). In addition, the plot development of a good but previously unheroic party becoming noble in the end by sacrificing himself to save the life of another goes back at least to the Sidney Carton character in A Tale Of Two Cities.
NA is also interesting by being a relatively early World War II propaganda film. It was made at a time when the evil Nazi stereotype had not yet become entrenched in the movies. Nonetheless, the pure badness of Conrad Veidt's nasty twin is unmistakable, as is the negative reaction generated toward him when it appears that he is returning to Germany at the end of the story.
There is also quite a bit of irony in NA. Others have noted casting against reality by having the decidedly non-Nazi Veidt playing a Hitler henchmen. And what about Martin Kosleck? This Jewish refugee from war torn Europe spent years in Hollywood portraying Nazi characters in general and Joseph Goebbels, Hitler's propaganda minister, in particular! And the Mormon American character actor Moroni Olsen assigned the part of a Nazi co-conspirator! A few years later, Olsen would be the police official who helps solve the mystery of exactly what happened in Mildred Pierce! Or Sidney Blackmer as another undercover Nazi! Much of his movie career was spent in various roles playing President Teddy Roosevelt!
This is a "B" movie entry decidedly worthy of your attention.
The good-bad twins idea is certainly not new. Apart from Dead Ringer, there is Olivia de Havilland's dramatic film The Dark Mirror. And the concept of a person attempting to impersonate his look-alike relative to do good is of course a common thread found in the many versions of The Prisoner Of Zenda. Furthermore, the device of a heroine being fooled into believing one look alike is really the other was also well used in the Zenda films (see Princess Flavia). In addition, the plot development of a good but previously unheroic party becoming noble in the end by sacrificing himself to save the life of another goes back at least to the Sidney Carton character in A Tale Of Two Cities.
NA is also interesting by being a relatively early World War II propaganda film. It was made at a time when the evil Nazi stereotype had not yet become entrenched in the movies. Nonetheless, the pure badness of Conrad Veidt's nasty twin is unmistakable, as is the negative reaction generated toward him when it appears that he is returning to Germany at the end of the story.
There is also quite a bit of irony in NA. Others have noted casting against reality by having the decidedly non-Nazi Veidt playing a Hitler henchmen. And what about Martin Kosleck? This Jewish refugee from war torn Europe spent years in Hollywood portraying Nazi characters in general and Joseph Goebbels, Hitler's propaganda minister, in particular! And the Mormon American character actor Moroni Olsen assigned the part of a Nazi co-conspirator! A few years later, Olsen would be the police official who helps solve the mystery of exactly what happened in Mildred Pierce! Or Sidney Blackmer as another undercover Nazi! Much of his movie career was spent in various roles playing President Teddy Roosevelt!
This is a "B" movie entry decidedly worthy of your attention.