Movie spotlight
The Traitor
This 1936 film tells the story of the doings of foreign agents in Germany and their allies among the German population. Having placed an ad in a local paper looking for "contact with bigwigs in German industry", enemy agents Morris and Geyer end up making contact with an engineer named Brockau. Brockau has developed an improvement in turning oil into gasoline and that's just what these enemy agents are looking for. Brockau, for his part, needs money, because his girlfriend is a selfish cow who demands more and more toys and trinkets, which has put our naive little nerd deep into debt. Brockau, however, is not the only unwitting maroon to fall into the clutches of the evil agents: the former bank agent Hans Klemm, now doing his service in the Wehrmacht, ends up being contacted by an agent from the other side and ends up getting blackmailed into working for them.
Insights
Plot Summary
A former mobster attempts to go straight but finds himself entangled in the criminal underworld once again. He's pressured by his old associates to commit a crime, and the police are closing in. He must navigate a dangerous path between loyalty to his past and a desire for a new life.
Critical Reception
The film received a mixed reception upon its release, with critics noting its suspenseful plot and solid performances, but some found its narrative predictable. It's considered a competent but not groundbreaking entry in the crime genre of the era.
What Reviewers Say
Praised for its tense atmosphere and direction.
Bickford's portrayal of a conflicted gangster was a highlight.
Some found the plot to be a bit derivative of other crime films.
Google audience: Audience reception information for this older film is not readily available.
Fun Fact
Director Robert Florey was originally supposed to direct the Universal horror classic 'Frankenstein' (1931) before James Whale took over.
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