adrian-43767 This film is pathetic, beginning with a cake supposedly made out of real eggs won at a fair while the Nazis are carpet-bombing London, continuing with a Dan Duryea who appears and disappears from the movie in less than the blink of your eye, without one ever knowing why he was in it in the first place, to a truly laughable ending. Why is an American in a London home for mental patients at the height of WWII? Despite the wife's mercy-killing line, that is never properly explained and the rot begins right there.Ray Milland never impressed me as an actor (LOST WEEKEND and BIG CLOCK are the exceptions) and he never seems to know what he is doing, apart from always retrieving a gun that can only leave him in trouble with the police.I haven't read Graham Greene's novel, but this is certainly the worst film I ever saw from director Fritz Lang.

dglink Recently released from a sanitarium, where he was kept after the mercy killing of his terminally ill wife, Stephen Neale is eager to regain his life. However, a fortune teller at a charity fair leads to an unusually heavy cake that is stolen by a blind man aboard a train; a mysterious organization called Mothers of the Free Nations leads to a séance and a murder, and the wrongfully accused Neale is on the run. Based on a novel by Grahame Greene, Fritz Lang directed this short, taut thriller that offers solid entertainment and a few unexpected twists. While not on par with "Metropolis" and "Fury," "Ministry of Fear" nevertheless maintains a fast pace, holds viewer attention, and is generally an above-average entry on Lang's resume. Set in wartime London, the 1944 film stars the dependable Ray Milland as Neale, with able support from an amusing Erskine Sanford, an elegantly mysterious Hilary Brooke, and a slimy Dan Duryea.Henry Sharp's shadowy black-and-white cinematography provides a noir-ish look that enhances the growing mystery. While the plot may have some lapses and a few potholes, inexplicable events follow inexplicable events, and viewers engrossed in Milland's quandary will not have time to ponder the inconsistencies. Well paced entertainment with a brief running time, attractive cast of pros, perfect for a rainy afternoon or late night watch.

Dalbert Pringle I know that among many film buffs of vintage Crime/Thrillers from Hollywood's heyday, director Fritz Lang ranks right up there in the Top 10 of "Best Ever". And, hey, that "OK" by me.But strictly speaking from a personal point of view (and this is after seeing 6 of what are considered to be Lang's best works from the 40s & 50s), I view him as a decidedly over-rated film-maker.In his position as a movie-maker (as is clearly evident here with Ministry Of Fear), Lang obviously took himself way too seriously and this, in turn, caused him to repeatedly over-play the drama (to the point of almost-parody) of any given story.When it came to the genre of Film Noir, Fritz Lang was a director whose completed films didn't offer me, as a viewer, much satisfaction.I mean, even novelist Graham Greene (whose book this film's story was based upon) came out (some years after this film's release) and publicly stated that he was less than pleased with Lang's treatment of his story. And, I, for one, couldn't be in more agreement with Greene on that one (especially since he was talking about his own book).Set during the "Blitz" in war-torn England, Ministry Of Fear's somewhat lacklustre and anti-climatic story deals with elements of paranoia, as well as espionage where, in the realm of things, everybody is a potential suspect (and Lang, pretty much milks this aspect of the story to its very last drop).Filmed in a grubby-looking b&w, Ministry Of Fear had a running time of 90 minutes.

Patryk Czekaj On the eve of World War II Ministry of Fear appeared as a great crime picture concentrating on a very hot topic at the time, namely the devious Nazi schemes and plots build up all around Europe. Its decent and somehow dizzying storyline places this movie in the great film noir category right on spot. Its gloomy aura and very climatic ambiance can be felt throughout the whole time. It starts with a great scene to set the tone. The clock is hanging on the wall. It is ticking inexorably. We see a man coming into a dark room and then a shot of Ray Milland sitting in a chair. It's 12 o'clock and he is finally free, after being stuck for two horrible years in one very peculiar place.Ray Milland gives a fine performance as a man named Stephen Neale, who just got released from an insane asylum and dreams about going to London to lead a peaceful and quiet life. Nothing further from the truth. After a visit to a very strange town fare he stumbles across a horrifying plan, which can have tragic consequences for his country. He needs to tell that to somebody. However, because of his unclear past he is unable to convince others that he is onto something very eerie. What's more, in the process someone wants to frame him for a crime he didn't commit. The main quality of this picture comes from the side of its fantastic cinematography. Every scene is shot perfectly, with the classic low-key white-and-black visual style. Some of the images are simply astounding: a gripping scene on the train with a seemingly blind man, explosive suitcase, bombing near the railroad tracks, etc. But the most stunning one for me was that of a group mind-reading session. Through its play on colors, light and visual sensations it brings a sort of nightmare-ish mood to the movie.Add a very fine and climatic music and all you get is a noir experience of the highest level. Apart from being an agitating thriller Ministry of Fear is also a proper take on the situation in Europe during the War. Nazi scams were omnipresent and every person could have been involved, no matter what nationality he or she was. That's definitely the point that makes it feel more realistic and dramatic at once.