by Hal Erickson
synopsis
Set during the Napoleonic era, Der Hoehre Befehl (Higher Command) nonetheless manages to accommodate huge heaping helpings of pro-Nazi propaganda. The story concerns the breakup of the alliance between France and Prussia, galvanized by the imprisonment of an English envoy. The prisoner is set free by a young German officer who despises Napoleon and realizes that the only hope for Prussia's future lies in independence -- and if that independence is won through a betrayal of trust, so be it. Box-office favorite Lil Dagover adds a touch of glamour as a slinky French spy. Director Gerard Lamprecht, one of Germany's most conventional and least adventuresome filmmakers, does his usual perfunctory job with Der Hoehre Befehl.
