Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Above Suspicion (1943)An odd movie even for its time, being clearly anti-Nazi and a bit of an American adventure on behalf of the British, but set in the months before the war began, earlier 1939. Yet it was made and was released in the thick of the war, four years later, well after even the Americans were involved. It must have seemed a bit lightweight at the time, and it certainly is a bit breezy now, too.Joan Crawford is at her best when life is going wrong, when the screws are applied or when she has to be a tough and independent women. Here she plays a cheerful and rather carefree newlywed. What Crawford character is truly carefree? Well, in this case her husband is perfectly cast, because Fred MacMurray knows what carefree is better than anything. When the Nazi threat becomes violent, things turn out rather okay, at least at first. The only other actor of note is the Nazi figure, played by the guy who plays Sherlock in all those B-Movie Sherlock Holmes films, Basil Rathbone, and you can't quite make him out as the evil menace he needs to be.Of course, our leading odd couple has been chosen for this mission by some knowing British officials who see the American innocence as a perfect cover for what is actually pretty dangerous stuff. And the movie, despite all these essential weaknesses, is really fun and a bit dramatic and very well made. Yes, it's a good movie, if far from a great one in either importance or effect.The director, Richard Thorpe, is one of the step-in-when-needed guys with a bunch of B-movies under his belt, and an assortment of mediocre oddballs (a Tarzan movie, the last Thin Man, a Presley movie--Jailhouse Rock--some Westerns, and so on). It might be a miracle this is as workable as it is. The script is fair, but the mood and the setting is terrific. And really, as mismatched as they seem, Crawford and MacMurray are not half bad together. They certainly are trying very hard.

***SPOILERS*** Rediculas war time espionage drama that in fact takes place in the early summer of 1939 when there was no war going on in Europe between Germany and Britian. We have this fun loving American couple Frances & Richard Myles, Joan Crawford & Fred MacMurray, traveling on vacation to Nazi Germany in order to obtain for Great Britian the secret blueprint for a magnetic mine that the Germans are working on.Despite the movies title-Beyond Suspicion-the two especially Richard Myles act so obnoxious and suspicious that it's a miracle that the Nazi's didn't suspect them of being spies as soon as they laid eyes on them. That's in Richard's in you face dislike of anything German to the extent of calling a Nazi Gestapo Officer a dope right to his face not once but twice within a minutes time! And getting away with it without being shipped off to the nearest Nazi concentration camp!Instead of the two "dopes" just going to the place where anti-Nazi German scientist Dr. Mespelbrunn, Reginald Owens, is staying at and getting the secret information for the magnetic mine that he invented the two American "spies" for the British Empire are given a myriad of asinine and brain twisting clues, by the British Secret Service, as well as secret hand foot and nose signals! It's these signals,like a catcher and third base coach uses in baseball, that they and their German contacts uses in what seems like every ten seconds in the movie! That to the point where they become almost meaningless to anyone that's watching! This muddles things up so much in the film that by the time the Myles' finally get to meet Dr. Mespelbrunn who's being held hostage in his own house by the Gestapo you and possibly even they forgot what they were there for, the plans for the secret magnetic mine, in the first place!There's also a nice little side plot in the movie, to make things even more confusing, with British tourist Thornley, Bruce Lester, planning to gun down the Commadaunt Col.Gerold, Frank Reicher, of the Nazi concentration camp where his wife was interned and later murdered! Thorney plans to pull this off in the middle of a standing room only Listz concert at the local opera house with hundreds of German soldiers and Gestapo agents in attendance!P.S The movie turned out to be both the last film that Joan Crawford made for the MGM studios and Conrad Veidt's, who played a good guy for once, last movie ever! Veidt died on April 3, 1943 of a massive heart attack, probably after seeing the rushes, before the movie "Above Suspicion" was released. Also check out Basil Rathbone as the mysterious Sig Von Aschenhausen who tries so hard to be what he isn't in the movie that you instinctively know what he is as soon as you get to see him!

Helen McInnes novel is the basis of this 1943 MGM film that marked the last time Joan Crawford worked at the studio after a long career as one of its most famous stars in the studio. Richard Thorpe directed the adaptation for the screen. While it is by no means a remarkable movie, it has good moments in the way the two stars, who were obviously in a light mood, make the best out of their characters.The story revolves Richard and Frances Myles, a newlywed couple, embarking on their honeymoon in the Continent. As they are about to cross the channel, a British intelligence man comes to see them about a small favor: they are asked to find one of their operatives and bring back whatever information he can give the Myles because they will not arise suspicion. Well, little prepares the Oxfor university professor and his bride for the adventure they will encounter."Above Suspicion" still is a lot of fun to watch, even if it's not a great spy movie. The easy chemistry between Fred McMurray and Joan Crawford works out fine and it's surprisingly effective. Mr. McMurray was an excellent actor as he proves here. Ms. Crawford had a lighter role as Frances Myles; she shows good sense of timing for this type of genre. Conrad Veidt is hilarious as the German that shows up in most of the places the Myles seem to go. The best thing in the film is the sequence when he dances a sort of modified tango and Richard Myles wants to get his attention on the dance floor! Basil Rathbone is also on hand to give one of his villainous performances. Reginald Owen and Peter Ainley are seen in supporting roles.

A lot of people seem to deride this film, but I found it quite enjoyable. It was Joan Crawfords last contract film at MGM, and far from walking through the part I personally think she sails along quite breezily and relaxed, which is just right for the character she plays. Basil Rathbone always makes a great, charming villain, and the much underrated Fred MacMurray comes across quite well as the hero. Casting of all supporting parts is excellent, and the MGM production values are faultless. The first half of the film is considerably better than the second as €"things become a bit chaotic and muddled towards the end -but its great to see a Hollywood film where the Germans actually speak German. There are also one or two quite extraordinary tracking shots, especially one in the concert hall, and in fact this whole sequence has an intensity that one wishes the entire film had. Still, if you can swallow the premise of the film and follow the logic of the "trail" you will perhaps be as entertained as I was by this one.