I found this movie somehow bewildering. It plays all in Italy (lots of touristy shots in Venice, gondolas and all, some less in Rome), featuring Hans Albers as a prehistoric Bond-like figure - a special agent heavy on the girl (who does some prehistoric water-skiing, among other things), yet getting the job (saving some military secrets from the "enemy") done, riding around in his classy Alfa Romeo.
His nationality is never mentioned, but easily figured out. Counterplayers are a British agent/officer and a Russian whose allegiance is less clear.
I liked most the sharp dialog when the hero "saves" the heroine from the Venice Lido: She insists she doesn't want to be saved, so he drops her overboard.
She: "Now I like you much better". He: "So we might as well marry". She: "No way - I can't cook". He: "No problem - we'll eat cold dishes. Go ahead, swim to the marriage registrars".
That was some glimpse of screwball comedy probably written before 1933. I wonder how much editing took place in that year (when the film came out) for the sake of political correctness. Other parts go slower, especially the worst car chase I've ever seen...
This sure is no perfect movie. But it's certainly interesting for those who care for the history of the art of movie-making.
His nationality is never mentioned, but easily figured out. Counterplayers are a British agent/officer and a Russian whose allegiance is less clear.
I liked most the sharp dialog when the hero "saves" the heroine from the Venice Lido: She insists she doesn't want to be saved, so he drops her overboard.
She: "Now I like you much better". He: "So we might as well marry". She: "No way - I can't cook". He: "No problem - we'll eat cold dishes. Go ahead, swim to the marriage registrars".
That was some glimpse of screwball comedy probably written before 1933. I wonder how much editing took place in that year (when the film came out) for the sake of political correctness. Other parts go slower, especially the worst car chase I've ever seen...
This sure is no perfect movie. But it's certainly interesting for those who care for the history of the art of movie-making.
