jacobs-greenwood aka Tartu (1943) aka Sabotage Agent (1943)Directed by Harold Bucquet, with a story by John Higgins and a screenplay by John Lee Mahin and Howard Emmett Rogers, this slightly above average espionage thriller was the first film MGM Studios was able to get Robert Donat to agree to do after his Oscar winning performance in Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939); he had a right of refusal clause in his contract.As British Captain Terence Stevenson, who defuses a bomb in a partially collapsed London hospital during World War II, Donat's character is asked to assume the identity of Romanian chemist Jan Tartu in order to infiltrate and destroy a German poison gas factory hidden in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Stevenson was chosen to become a spy because of his familiarity with the area and the languages from his youth. As Tartu, he pretends to be a dandy that wants to serve der Fuhrer (Adolf Hitler), but must make contact with the Czech resistance while avoiding detection and capture by the Nazis for whom he'll work. Valerie Hobson, Walter Rilla, Glynis Johns, Phyllis Morris, and Martin Miller are among those who also appear in key roles.When the only contact Tartu knows is captured, and later killed, right after they'd met, he must find a way to find and get help from the Czech resistance without alerting Nazi Inspector Otto Vogel (Rilla) and the other Germans. Vogel assigns Tartu to live in Anna Palacek's (Morris) boarding house, and a job watching Czech slave laborers in a munitions plant. Vogel has eyes for Maruschuka Lanova (Hobson), who lives in the same boarding house as Tartu, and Anna's daughter Paula (Johns).Tartu soon learns that all three women are part of the resistance movement and, after protecting Paula when she'd killed a German general, he earns Maruschuka's trust such that she approaches the resistance board, run by Doctor Novotny (Miller). In the meantime, careless Paula is caught trying to sabotage some of the artillery shells by another Nazi officer right while Tartu is nearby.Quick on his feet, Tartu decides to go straight to the plant's manager with a cover story that he'd been making friends with some of the Czech's to infiltrate their resistance. This leaves him free and clear, but another in the resistance hears this "confession" and tells it to Novotny who now, along with Maruschuka, suspects Tartu really is a Nazi. So, Maruschuka, who'd begun to fall in love with Tartu (beware the woman scorned!) decides to use Vogel to kill Tartu, who's now frustrated that he can't make contact with the resistance at the very time that he's gotten reassigned to the secret chemical plant.I don't want to spoil what happens next, but it's cleverly done and, naturally, works out for the best. Plus, just when you think the story's over, there's another few minutes of drama involving an escape.

Neil Doyle Robert Donat gives a very spirited performance as a British spy fluent in languages who is assigned to sabotage a Nazi gas factory in Czechoslovakia. He's more action-oriented than usual in a role requiring a lot of physical action while keeping one step ahead of the Nazis.His spying activities also include some romantic moments with lovely Valerie Hobson, a woman who openly flirts with Nazi officers while working with the Czech underground. She and Donat join forces eventually but some misunderstandings almost ruin their partnership. The clever plot takes a number of interesting twists as the story unfolds in a brisk and very compelling manner.Photography is first rate as are the various sets, especially the unique looking laboratory with its glass elevator overlooking an elaborate looking set design. Donat is charming in the central role and gets solid support from an excellent British supporting cast. Especially good are Walter Rilla as an officer in love with Hobson and Glynis Johns in a small role as an ill-fated Czech loyalist.Highly recommended as one of the best espionage yarns from the U.K. during the war years.

jbetke This excellent espionage film begins with newsreel footage of London being bombed in 1940. An unexploded bomb sits in the rubble, about to blow up whatever remains standing, including a bedridden child and his nurse. Robert Donat, as a British army captain, rushes in to defuse the bomb. What a wonderful way to begin a smart, engaging wartime thriller. Donat's army captain gets drafted to impersonate a German-speaking Rumaninan dandy, to infiltrate and destroy a German poison gas camp in Czechoslovakia. This is a side of the war, featuring Czech freedom fighters, that many people are unfamiliar with. This is a great film that belongs up there with Hitchcock's "Foreign Correspondant."

bkoganbing Robert Donat's Eastern European background and fluency in a few languages make him the ideal choice for British Secret Service to send on a mission to destroy a Nazi poison gas factory in occupied Czechoslovakia. In a brief prologue with Donat disarming a buzz bomb that landed in a hospital, we see an example of how he keeps his cool under fire.Sabotage Agent next has Donat in Czechoslovakia disguised as a refugee from the Nazi sympathizing Iron Guard of Romania. Donat moves effortlessly from the stiff upper lip British agent to the bumptious Jan Tartu of Romania. He keeps his wits about him pretty good in a whole bunch of situations.Especially since he loses his contact upon arriving in Czechoslovakia almost immediately and is flying blind. Another agent is Valerie Hobson who like Donat is always good. She's a Czech who's a collaborator officially, but is really working for the Czech underground. She doesn't know what to make of Donat. One thing is sure, her Nazi boy friend Walter Rilla is plenty jealous.I have to say that the action packed ending was a bit much. It was like Donat was trying to compete with Errol Flynn. Something a little more clever I would have expected from his character. This was more like something from James Bond.Nevertheless Donat and Hobson give good characterizations and also Glynis Johns as another Czech patriot gives a memorable performance.