Jon Corelis Confidential Agent is a rather neglected film: it seems to be listed in very few film reference books, presumably because it was out of circulation for a long time. The story, from a book by Graham Greene, concerns a Spanish pianist turned anti-Fascist soldier in the Spanish Civil War (Charles Boyer) who comes to England on a secret mission to buy up a huge supply of coal with the dual purpose of using it to support the Republican side and denying it to Franco's forces; he's assisted by a spoiled rich girl he runs into (Lauren Bacall) who also falls in love with him.It's easy to see what Warner's was hoping for from this film: by co-starring a solidly established male romantic lead (Boyer) with the hot new female sex symbol (Bacall, fresh from her sensation-making role with Bogart in The Big Sleep the previous year) in a patriotically anti-Fascist story while the war was still in progress, the studio might seem to have had all the bases covered. But in fact, the film is a very mixed bag.On the negative side, Boyer struggles manfully with his role but never seems to really get inside his character. Bacall seems to be trying to portray a femme fatale of the sexy but ice-cold variety, but her performance (which the critics generally panned) comes off as just being wooden. And there's a complete lack of real chemistry between the two. The film also has a strained Hollywood happy ending, which seems tacked on.But there are some virtues to set against this. The script is generally intelligent, and the complicated plot consistently clear. Several of the minor performances are memorable, especially Ian Wolfe and Dan Seymour as two quite different but equally amusing eccentrics, Peter Lorre is fine as his usual sniveling villain and Katina Paxou is excellent as the so-evil-she's-insane murderess. The best thing about the film, though, is the starkly noirish photography by great cinematographer James Wong Howe: those seriously interested in the art of cinema lighting will find much to admire.All in all, not a classic, but worth seeing for its good points.

utgard14 Somewhat underrated espionage tale, adapted from a Graham Greene novel, that stars Charles Boyer as a Spanish agent sent to England on a special mission. He meets lovely Lauren Bacall and tries to avoid being killed by fascist operatives. The primary complaint that I see about this film, judging from reviews here and elsewhere, is about the casting. Particularly that you have a Frenchman and a Hungarian playing Spaniards, an American playing a Brit, etc. with no effort to match the accents of someone from those countries. Honestly this doesn't bother me. It was standard for the era that an actor would speak in their own accent when playing someone from another country rather than wind up sounding like Speedy Gonzales or something. Bigger issues for me are Bacall's performance in the early scenes where she spits out her lines like she's angry at them and the lack of chemistry between her and Boyer. The latter hurts the film's romantic subplot but since that was a part that was of minor interest to me, it didn't impact my enjoyment much.Any movie with a cast like this photographed by the great James Wong Howe can't be bad in my eyes. The supporting cast is especially good, featuring the always entertaining Peter Lorre, as well as Victor Francen, George Coulouris, Holmes Herbert, George Zucco, Miles Mander, and Dan Seymour looking considerably less fat than usual. Katina Paxinou makes for a vile villainess. Good work from Wanda Hendrix as a teenage hotel maid who pays a price for befriending Boyer. For her part, Bacall is pretty and, despite the issue I addressed before, she does get better as the movie goes along. But she is the weakest actor in the movie by far. Boyer is quite good as the nervous and befuddled hero. Perhaps not a perfect fit for the role but I think he does an admirable job. There is one scene involving him slapping another character that is a little unintentionally funny. Overall, it's an interesting picture with a noirish atmosphere and tension, particularly in one gripping scene with Paxinou and Hendrix.

blanche-2 Charles Boyer is supposed to be Spanish, and he's come to London to buy coal in "Confidential Agent," a 1945 film also starring Lauren Bacall, Katina Paxinou, Peter Lorre, Dan Seymour, and Wanda Hendrix. Boyer is Luis Denard, and everyone is out to stop him except Bacall. His papers are stolen, he's accused of murder but he's determined to get coal for his people so that they can fight the Fascists.This film has its good and not so good points. It rates high for atmosphere and for suspense, and it is highly entertaining. Bacall is incredibly beautiful, Boyer is passionate, Paxinou is mean, Lorre is slimy, Hendrix appropriately pathetic, and Seymour outrageously wonderful.The not so good points: Bacall is supposed to be English, and Boyer Spanish. Uh, no. Boyer is terrific in his role even with the wrong accent, but Bacall is 100% American, not of the British upper class. The two have no chemistry. Conclusion: Bacall is somewhat miscast. Her acting isn't up to snuff either; she's better in other films. But she's an astonishing looking woman, and much can be forgiven.Paxinou is nearly over the top and hateful. Dan Seymour almost steals the entire film as a hotel guest who studies human nature. It's a great part and his performance is perfect, while some of the direction of the other actors isn't as good. This was definitely a case of no small parts, only small actors. Seymour wasn't a small actor.Definitely worth seeing even with its flaws.

Dale Houstman I watch a lot of films, good, bad and indifferent; there is usually something of interest to fixate upon, even if it is only set design, or the reliable labor of a good character actor, or the fortuitous laughter that emerges from watching ineptitude captured forever.However, I was quite pleasantly surprised by this film, one I had never seen before. Graham Greene has been translated into film many times of course, in such masterpieces as "Thin Man" and in lesser vehicles. "Confidential Agent" is one of those lesser vehicles, yet it manages to get me somewhere anyway, despite lackluster direction, the incongruity of Bacall and Boyer's depictions as (respectively) British and Spanish, and the almost complete non-existence of any chemistry between the two leads. In some ways, this last "problem" actually begins to work in the film's favor, for how can love really blossom in the killing atmosphere of fascism and capitalism meeting about one person's tragedy? The most compelling aspect of the film arises directly from Greene's complex and guilt-ridden psychology, which pervades the film. I know some see the deliberate pacing here as dull, and I can understand that. Yet I found that plodding accentuated rather than detracted from what is a claustrophobic world. I was compelled to watch, not by any great acting (although Boyer is marvelous as usual, managing to convey a rich mixture of world-weariness, tragedy, hope, and fervor with his magnificent voice and yearning eyes), but by the down-spiraling rush of one man's slim hopes against a world of oppression and money. What is a thief? What good is love in the face of death? Where does mere profit-taking end and exploitation begin? The film does not rise to the level of art, and thus cannot hope to answer such questions, but it is much more than mere entertainment, and its murders and guilts are very grimly drawn. The lack of glitz, of "bubble," of narrative "bounce" help to make this movie very worthwhile.And there is no happy ending, for history wrote the ending.