A middling but entertaining piece of wartime romance, Confirm or Deny is not going to set the world on fire but it's a nice way to pass a bit of time. Modern audiences will likely find parts of the picture a bit too propagandistic and other parts a bit unrealistic, and with good cause. But a bigger problem may be a nagging feeling that the very real traumas of the London blitz are being used as nothing more than a backdrop for Don Ameche and Joan Bennett to act out a fairly standard love plot. Still, the foreign correspondent wartime set-up does provide a good frame for the story and brings in a few more interesting complications than one often finds in similar tales. Ameche is in quite good form, jumping into the role with gusto and playing it for all its worth. He may not a bit too gung ho to be believable as an actual reporter, but he knows that this is what the picture requires. Bennett is a knock-out, and she plays off him to very good effect; the chemistry between the two is invaluable. Director Archie Mayo keeps the film moving at a good clip.
by Craig Butler
review
