Truly Dreadful Film

Surprisingly incoherent and boring

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

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

They Raid By Night is a wartime propaganda film on the cheap side from PRC Pictures. It follows the Hollywood's first rule about casting American actors in the lead, make them Canadian.Lyle Talbot plays a Canadian leading a British commando raid into Norway to rescue a Norwegian army general who presumably will lead a Norwegian liberation army, possibly become a Scandinavian DeGaulle. As we know that never happened.They sneak in and get to the camp to rescue Paul Baratoff playing the general. Along the way they are betrayed twice. One of the members of Talbot's team is George Neisse who is Norwegian who left a girl behind played by June Duprez. She's made herself quite comfortable with the new rulers and twice she betrays them. That's something that someone there should have figured out.Victor Varconi plays the German colonel who just can't seem to get good help among his troops from the Fatherland.All and all They Raid By Night strained credulity in 1942. I doubt we'll see a remake demanded.

This is a war movie which is about occupied area.The surface plot of three Allied men on a mission in the occupied area to rescue a general is a smokescreen for the real story.The real story comes with the clever writing, writing so clever that even today many people don't notice it, but very evident to those with writing experience.The real story is the people of the occupied area, and what they go through. The chief characters on the surface go through the usual cat and mouse game of espionage.Meanwhile, the civilian characters, notably three of them, a blind man, a beautiful woman, and a toady, show what life is like for them, and what their aspirations are. The entire film is really about them, but it is so cleverly written that it isn't seen by many people.It is well thought out and entertaining as well. It flows much better than about any movie you find today. Thumbs up.

Lyle Talbot (as Robert "Bob" Owen) fights Nazis in Norway, during World War II. Helping him out are native son George N. Neise (as Erik Falken) and British wisecracker Charley Rogers (as Harry Hall). Mr. Neise's old acquaintance June Duprez (as Inga Beckering) adds femininity and intrigue to the cast. Once engaged to Neise, Ms. Duprez has hooked up with properly accented Victor Varconi (as Otto von Ritter). Mr. Varconi gets the line, "My men have vays of making you talk." Spencer Gordon Bennet's "They Raid by Night", subtitled "A Story of the Commandos", features a very catchy theme song, and is good for a few unexpectedly good laughs. ** They Raid by Night (6/19/42) Spencer Gordon Bennet ~ Lyle Talbot, June Duprez, Victor Varconi, George N. Neise

Yes, the production values are lacking. Yes, there are abundant plot holes -- however, for a Poverty Row war movie from the 1940s, the movie is actually not half bad. While there are numerous shots of stock footage and people walking in to poorly painted curtains doubling for the winter-bound grandeur that is Norway, the acting is better than one would expect in a movie of the genre. The writing seems to be a half-tick better than the average fare of the time and genre. The fellow playing the Nazi commander isn't the normal "one note" evil Nazi so often seen both then and later in such movies. The fellow playing the chief commando on the raid is fairly effective, if not entirely believable in the part.All in all, I recommend it for those who are World War II buffs and have 70 minutes to kill.