STOLEN IDENTITY

Francis Lederer, Donald Buka, Joan Camden

STOLEN IDENTITY (1953). Director: Gunther von Fritsch. Colorized. 

In post-war Vienna American Tony Sponer (Donald Buka) has difficulty making a living because he has no valid papers. When a man is shot in the back of the cab he is temporarily driving, he sees an opportunity to take on his identity and perhaps get back to the States. Unfortunately, the dead man was supposed to meet Karen Manelli (Joan Camden), who is running away from her suffocating husband, the famous pianist Claude Manelli (Frances Lederer of The Return of Dracula). When Karen meets up with her "boyfriend," a completely different person, things really become complicated. 

Buka and Camden

Stolen Identity is an unpredictable suspense story with some fine performances, intriguing aspects, and interesting characters. Lederer is as smooth and vaguely sinister as ever as the concert pianist, and Buka is excellent as Tony, who is torn in different directions as he simply tries to get back to his birthplace but gets tied up in murder and danger. Camden is generally good, although there are times when she hardly seems as upset as she should be considering the circumstances (and the death of her lover). The whole story takes place on New Year's Eve, was filmed on actual Viennese locations, and was produced by actor Turhan Bey. Buka had a long career before settling into a role on All My Children; Camden mostly did television. There are some good supporting performances in this as well. An Austrian-U.S. co-production. 

Verdict: Crackling good suspenser. ***. 

FROM VIENNA WITH LOVE: HEDY LAMARR

FROM VIENNA WITH LOVE: HEDY LAMARR.

This week Great Old Movies looks at the beautiful film star Hedy Lamarr (1914 - 2000), reviewing several of her movies as well as a biography written about her. We look at the film that first brought her to international attention, Ecstasy, and later films in which she did fine work, such as H. M. Pulham, Esq. and I Take This Woman. You can learn more of the biographical facts of the lady's life by reading the review of the book below.

Lamarr was often unfairly considered just a gorgeous manikin, but she could act, even if you might not have considered her for a role in, say, O'Neill or Williams. With the right part and director and sympathetic co-stars, she could often be quite adept and effective, and she could play romantic scenes with the best of them. A documentary of her life is entitled Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story and goes into her considerable scientific achievements (she was no dummy). Several of her films have already been reviewed on this blog -- just type in her name in the search bar on the above left and they will come up.

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE -- ROGUE NATION

Rebecca Ferguson and Sean Harris

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE -- ROGUE NATION (2015). Writer/director: Christopher McQuarrie.

"Join the IMF. See the world. On a monitor. In a closet." -- Benjy

The Secretary of State (Alec Baldwin) disbands the IMF (Impossible Missions Force) because he feels that the success of its missions is mostly due to luck. In the meantime IMF leader Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is made aware of a sinister organization called the Syndicate that seems comprised of supposedly dead agents from around the world. [In an interesting touch the message Hunt gets that gives him his assignment is actually from the Syndicate and blows up!] Ethan repeatedly encounters a woman named Ilsa (Rebecca Ferguson) who seems to be working for the Syndicate but saves Ethan's life on more than one occasion. An excellent scene occurs at the Vienna State Opera when a hit is planned on the Austrian chancellor during a performance of "Turandot" (Puccini's music is more effective as a backdrop for this than one might imagine). Later Ethan and his gang, including Benjy (Simon Pegg of Star Trek into Darkness) and Luther (Ving Rhames), invade a stronghold to acquire a ledger with important information -- in an underwater, underground vault where Hunt is rapidly running out of air -- and later must kidnap the prime minister of England to prevent disaster! The performances in this are good, although there's some overacting from Cruise and others at times, and it's interesting to note that the star seems to surround himself with better but less prepossessing actors. Ferguson, Pegg and Sean Harris as the evil Lane are all quite good. MI -- Rogue Nation has some outstanding and exciting sequences, but oddly, no real climax. As usual the movie respects the original TV series by more or less remaining true to its origins, which is more than you can say about The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and others.

Verdict: Memorable action thriller. ***.