British Intelligence

British Intelligence (1940)

Genres - Drama, Romance, Action, Adventure, Thriller  |   Sub-Genres - War Spy Film  |   Release Date - Jan 29, 1940 (USA - Unknown), Jan 29, 1940 (USA)  |   Run Time - 62 min.  |   Countries - United Kingdom, United States  |   MPAA Rating - NR
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Review by Hans J. Wollstein

While twiddling his thumbs waiting for horror films to make their eagerly anticipated comeback, Boris Karloff plays a German spy masquerading as a French servant masquerading as a British counter-espionage agent masquerading as a German spy, etc., etc. Or is it the other way around? Meanwhile, leading lady Margaret Lindsay does him one better by playing a British intelligence officer masquerading as a German spy masquerading as a British counter-intelligence officer masquerading as a German spy. Confused? Well, British Intelligence, if nothing else, proves that the English Secret Service was almost as dense -- but only almost -- as its German counterpart during World War I. Or is it World War II? With all the veiled references to a certain Herr Hitler, it is hard to pinpoint which. All of which add up to perhaps Karloff's most tedious Warner Bros. vehicle.