Director: CHARLES LAMONT. Screenplay: Arthur Hoerl. Based on characters created by Arthur Hoerl and Monroe Shaff. Photography: Arthur Martinelli. Film editor: Bernard Loftus. Art director: Ralph Berger. Set decorator: Glenn Thompson. Costumes: W.H. McCrary. Production manager: Irene Schreck. Music director: David Chudnow. Assistant director: V.O. Smith. Sound recording: Hal Bumbaugh. Production executive: J. Samuel Berkowitz. Associate producer: Charles Lamont. Executive producer: Franklyn Warner. A Fine Arts Production.
Copyright 20 May 1939 by Fine Arts Pictures. Released in the U.S.A. through Grand National: 20 May 1939. No New York opening. Never theatrically released in Australia. 69 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Major Philip Waring (Leon Ames) is an Army Intelligence officer, stationed at the Washington cipher bureau. He is about to marry his secretary (Charlotte Wynters), but is forced to postpone the ceremony in order to track down a nest of Oriental spies who are plotting the destruction of the Panama Canal. An interpreter for Army Intelligence (Abner Biberman) puts him on the trail of an Oriental femme fatale (Adrienne Ames). NOTES: Sequel to Cipher Bureau (1938) which has the same stars and many of the same technicians, including photographer Martinelli and associate producer/director Charles Lamont.
Leon Ames is not related to Adrienne Ames. His real name is Leon Wycoff (under which name he was once billed). Miss Ames (her birth name) was Mrs Bruce Cabot off-screen.
COMMENT: Despite the credits, this is actor Abner Biberman's picture - and a grand job he makes of it too, ably assisted by Charles Lamont's obviously sympathetic direction. Notice that Biberman receives as many, if not more close-ups than Leon Ames, despite the fact that his role is smaller. And, though her part is brief, Adrienne (the spelling of her name in the credit titles is incorrect) Ames also scores strongly with both director and audience.
Whilst Biberman is allowed by both director and script to give a portrait in depth, the same cannot be said for Leon Ames and the lovely Charlotte Wynters. Both are personable, but rather bland. Of the support players, it's odd to say that Mickey Rooney's perennial mascot, Sidney Miller, provides the most ingratiating performance.
The script has its share of excitement, is skillfully photographed by Arthur Martinelli and directed with more style than we expect of Charles Lamont. An insistent music score sometimes helps with atmosphere, sometimes not, but always lends a bit of class.
Copyright 20 May 1939 by Fine Arts Pictures. Released in the U.S.A. through Grand National: 20 May 1939. No New York opening. Never theatrically released in Australia. 69 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Major Philip Waring (Leon Ames) is an Army Intelligence officer, stationed at the Washington cipher bureau. He is about to marry his secretary (Charlotte Wynters), but is forced to postpone the ceremony in order to track down a nest of Oriental spies who are plotting the destruction of the Panama Canal. An interpreter for Army Intelligence (Abner Biberman) puts him on the trail of an Oriental femme fatale (Adrienne Ames). NOTES: Sequel to Cipher Bureau (1938) which has the same stars and many of the same technicians, including photographer Martinelli and associate producer/director Charles Lamont.
Leon Ames is not related to Adrienne Ames. His real name is Leon Wycoff (under which name he was once billed). Miss Ames (her birth name) was Mrs Bruce Cabot off-screen.
COMMENT: Despite the credits, this is actor Abner Biberman's picture - and a grand job he makes of it too, ably assisted by Charles Lamont's obviously sympathetic direction. Notice that Biberman receives as many, if not more close-ups than Leon Ames, despite the fact that his role is smaller. And, though her part is brief, Adrienne (the spelling of her name in the credit titles is incorrect) Ames also scores strongly with both director and audience.
Whilst Biberman is allowed by both director and script to give a portrait in depth, the same cannot be said for Leon Ames and the lovely Charlotte Wynters. Both are personable, but rather bland. Of the support players, it's odd to say that Mickey Rooney's perennial mascot, Sidney Miller, provides the most ingratiating performance.
The script has its share of excitement, is skillfully photographed by Arthur Martinelli and directed with more style than we expect of Charles Lamont. An insistent music score sometimes helps with atmosphere, sometimes not, but always lends a bit of class.