On Secret Service (1933)

On Secret Service: Directed by Arthur B. Woods. With Greta Nissen, Karl Ludwig Diehl, Don Alvarado, Lester Matthews. Greta Nissen stars as an Italian noblewoman living a dangerous double life as a spy. A remake of the celebrated German thriller Spione am Werk. Co-starring noted German actor Karl Ludwig Diehl and American matinee idol Don Alvarado. The film takes place in Vienna, 1912. When an Austrian staff officer is implicated by association with a known Italian spy he goes on the run. Three years later – as the Great War gets into full swing – he returns and begs the Austrian Secret Service to allow him to clear his name from suspicion.

“This a remake of a German film which was released just nine months earlier.This probably explains the rather curious fact that the countries the subject of this film are Austria and Italy.The plot is extremely convoluted and I have to say that I found it rather dull and unexciting.All the usual ingredients are there,codes,secret messages and of course a spy with a number,77.At the time this was made Hitler was coming to power in Germany and the German film was banned by Goebbels in 1935.One of the problems is that there were so many of this type of film made in the thirties that it pales in comparison with most.The leading actors are no match for the actors who appeared in other films.Maybe if the leads had been played by Veidt and Garbo it would have been worthwhile watching.”