American Steve Kendall, a freighter's radio officer, discovers seaman Carlson sending an unauthorized message ashore as the ship approaches his war-poised homeland. Carlson is shot in cold blood when he jumps ship and Kendall, implicated in the espionage, swims ashore to avoid arrest. A woman he meets at the dock hides him in her apartment, where he learns Carlson was her brother, and they both work in a sabotage ring. Nedra is a singer at Tio's Cafe, and she approaches Tio for help when both the saboteurs and the secret police try to capture Steve.
Production
Warner Brothers' B-unit squeezing epic scope into poverty row budget.
Acting
Linda Hayes doing femme fatale duty with exactly the plot requires.
Director
Lew Landers
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Allan Lane later became the voice of Mr. Ed the talking horse—quite a career pivot from radio officer to equine whisperer.
Released September 1939, literally weeks into WWII, this RKO quickie captures America watching Europe burn while staying officially neutral.
US
