

Reporter Homer Smith accidently draws Marcia Warren into his mission to stop Nazis from bombing Allied Conwoys with robot-planes.
Acting
Ethel Waters steals every scene she's in—Oscar-deserving, Oscar-snubbed.
Direction
Van Dyke's 'one-take wonder' efficiency keeps this absurd train moving.

Director
W.S. Van Dyke
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Ethel Waters was one of Hollywood's highest-paid Black performers in 1942, yet still relegated to maid roles—her talent transcended the era's racism.
This was W.S. Van Dyke's final film—he died two months after release, capping a career known for 'Metro-Goldwyn-Mercury' speed.