Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

Clever, believable, and super fun to watch. It totally has replay value.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

Jim Fleg (George Sanders) is a scumbag who has stolen an original folio of Hamlet AND is now selling forged versions. Can it get worse? Yes, he's a police lieutenant! Unfortunately for Fleg, he trusts a dealer to sell his forgeries...but she is really unscrupulous and stupid and sells one of them to folks Fleg warned her NOT to sell to. Why? Because that agent is purchasing the folio for top Nazis...and if they find out it's a forgery, they won't go to the cops...they'll go for their heads! Soon Hal McByrne (Richard Denning) gets involved in investigating the case and trying to figure out what's really happening.This B has excellent acting, very good writing and better than average production values. If the film weren't only about an hour long, you might swear it's an A picture. Well worth your time.

This film is terribly uninteresting. The characters are one dimensional and the script lacks depth. It doesn't look as though the writer has made any effort to engage the audience with a believable storyline or interesting characters. The only reason why I watched it is because George Sanders is in it. When he is presented with a good script under a good director his performance really soars. This film has neither a good script nor a good director. The performances at best are mediocre, and even Sanders without a good script and director shows the holes in his acting. The film is utter crap, and the only thing it is good for is to be relegated to the dustbin.

Toward the end of the great period of experimentation, we have some experiments in excess.The story here is about four great minds colliding, each intending to outsmart and probably kill the others.One is a master forger who steals great books in order to sell copies. At the opening of the film, he steals a unique "Hamlet."A second is a master detective, whose mere name throws everyone into a guarded position and further intrigue.Then you have a (presumably) beautiful and intelligent woman, initially the forger's mistress and assistant. She plays all sides against the others for her benefit.And because the US was at war with evil Germany, we have an evil German and his German henchmen. He was an unhappy customer of a fraudulent copy of the purloined Hamlet. (Interestingly, the so called Burbage Hamlet was itself stolen.) His purchase was with Nazi money that itself was stolen.Witnessing the whole thing is the sweet, sweet fiancé of a GI.These four arrange to be in a grand public library (London?) just at closing time. What we see is a game of wits. People die. Books are stolen and restolen. Its a great idea, and perhaps in better hands it would have worked. But this is bizarrely confusing and uncinematic. Its interesting only in its ambitions, which as high as the best con movie.Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.

The plot is as much of a riddle as the psychology of the two mainvillains: George Sanders and the perfect noir woman. They calmlydiscuss their need to fail, self-sabotage and love of punishmentand fear, namechecking Freud but in a skeptical aside. The(blackhaired of course) girl spends most of the action in furs, highheels and a spiky hat with a veil. (You mean that's not how youdress to visit your local library?) Her words and actions are alwaysambiguous. The library setting is played for all it is worth:dialogues take place in rooms filled with antique furniture,classical sculpture or old musical instruments. Sanders, seenthrough the 'prison bars' created by the strings of a harp (usuallyplayed by angels), plucks one out to use as a torture instrument.We last see him deliberately cutting his wrists on the handcuffsand looking forward to his execution. A routine thriller? I don't thinkso. xxxx