IMDb RATING
6.7/10
2.1K
YOUR RATING
FBI agent Ed Renard investigates the pre-war espionage activities of the German-American Bund.FBI agent Ed Renard investigates the pre-war espionage activities of the German-American Bund.FBI agent Ed Renard investigates the pre-war espionage activities of the German-American Bund.
- Awards
- 4 wins
Hedwiga Reicher
- Mrs. Liza Kassell
- (as Celia Sibelius)
Sig Ruman
- Dr. Julius Gustav Krogman
- (as Sig Rumann)
Hans Heinrich von Twardowski
- Max Helldorf
- (as Hans von Twardowski)
Wolfgang Zilzer
- Johann Westphal
- (as John Voigt)
Frederik Vogeding
- Captain Richter
- (as Frederick Vogeding)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAccording to the article "Hollywood Goes to War" by Colin Shindler in the film history tome "The Movie": "Warner Brothers, who had made the one explicitly anti-Nazi film of the [US] pre-war period (i.e., this film) were unofficially told by the [US] government not to make any more such pictures. In April 1940, the news filtered back to Hollywood that several Polish exhibitors who had shown the film had been hanged in the foyers of their own cinemas."
- GoofsThere is a large sign on a fence reading, "Fort Wentworth Base Hospital". The Army does not refer to its installations as "bases". A correct sign would have read "Post Hospital".
- Quotes
Edward 'Ed' Renard: I told you I thought this man is an amateur. If he is, why did he become a spy? Well, because he's been listening to speeches, and reading pamphlets about Nazi Germany and believing them. Unfortunately, there are thousands like him in America. Half-witted, hysterical crackpots who go "Hitler-happy" from overindulgence in propaganda that makes them believe that they're supermen.
- Alternate versionsFor the 1940 re-release, Warner Bros. added footage showing the devastation inflicted on Norway, Holland and Belgium, those countries then occupied by Germany. That footage is included in the print shown on Turner Classic Movies.
- ConnectionsFeatured in War Comes to America (1945)
Featured review
An exciting espionage thriller
With the Nazi Party now illegal in Germany but still legal in the United States with several active members, it's not surprising that the American Bund had such a large membership in 1939 when Hitler was at the height of his power and was rapidly augmenting the Third Reich with territory stolen from his neighbors. Since the United States was officially neutral at the time, it is surprising that this film received such a wide distribution. One must remember, however, that FDR early on recognized the threat to world security, including the danger to our interests, from Der Fuher. He was in the process of asking Congress for the approval of Lend Lease and worked closely with Winston Churchill following the fiasco of the Munich appeasement which ousted the incompetent Neville Chamberlain.
The movie turns out to be somewhat of a mixed bag. There are really three main elements composing the film. From time to time there is a documentary-style narration by John Deering of actual events taking place in Europe such as the Anschluss; second, there is the main story which is well written, directed, and acted concerning a spy network in the United States attempting to lure the minds of German Americans into the Nazi trap with help from the Gestapo, Hitler's private police force of bullying goons; third, is the preachy part filled with patriotic talk, some noble, some propaganda, some prophetic. The best element is the actual story with standout performances by: Edward G. Robinson, who doesn't appear until the movie is almost half over, George Sanders playing a Nazi Stooge who is a go between for agents in Germany and their counterparts in the United States, Paul Lukas playing a medical doctor who mixes medical facts with Nazi myth and who gives stirring speeches for the Party to get recruits and to hold his own ring of spies together, Francis Lederer as a Nazi agent who places fame and fortune above all else including the master race, and Dorothy Tree playing Hilda a true believer until she breaks under pressure from FBI agent Ed Renard (Edward G. Robinson).
Whether you like this film depends a lot on how much you like espionage flicks dealing with World War II. As a spy movie from 1939, "Confessions of a Nazi Spy" holds up well. It comes across not as a relic from a bygone era but as an exciting movie thriller based on historical events.
The movie turns out to be somewhat of a mixed bag. There are really three main elements composing the film. From time to time there is a documentary-style narration by John Deering of actual events taking place in Europe such as the Anschluss; second, there is the main story which is well written, directed, and acted concerning a spy network in the United States attempting to lure the minds of German Americans into the Nazi trap with help from the Gestapo, Hitler's private police force of bullying goons; third, is the preachy part filled with patriotic talk, some noble, some propaganda, some prophetic. The best element is the actual story with standout performances by: Edward G. Robinson, who doesn't appear until the movie is almost half over, George Sanders playing a Nazi Stooge who is a go between for agents in Germany and their counterparts in the United States, Paul Lukas playing a medical doctor who mixes medical facts with Nazi myth and who gives stirring speeches for the Party to get recruits and to hold his own ring of spies together, Francis Lederer as a Nazi agent who places fame and fortune above all else including the master race, and Dorothy Tree playing Hilda a true believer until she breaks under pressure from FBI agent Ed Renard (Edward G. Robinson).
Whether you like this film depends a lot on how much you like espionage flicks dealing with World War II. As a spy movie from 1939, "Confessions of a Nazi Spy" holds up well. It comes across not as a relic from a bygone era but as an exciting movie thriller based on historical events.
helpful•358
- krorie
- Nov 5, 2005
- How long is Confessions of a Nazi Spy?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Storm over America
- Filming locations
- San Pedro, Los Angeles, California, USA(Coast Guard flying boat scene)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $1,500,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 44 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content
Top Gap
By what name was Confessions of a Nazi Spy (1939) officially released in India in English?
Answer