'MADAME SPY'

Evening Star, Issue 21784, 28 July 1934, Page 18

'MADAME SPY'

BT, JAMES HAS EXCITING STORY One of the most colourful and enthralling pictures seen for some time, ‘ Madame Spy ’ makes admirable entertainment at the St. James Theatre. It prints a new page in the history of the. Great War, and tells how a beautiful woman used her charms to love and betray.. No expense was spared 'in creating the proper atmosphere, and the picture therefore displays a most interesting background of continental life during the year 1915. Specially, built sets, capturing the gay thoroughfares of Vienna, to grand ballrodm fanfares in Russian court life form portions of the locrlgi ■ . Fay Wray is.cast in the leading roie, that of Maria, a Russian spy in Austria during the war, while Nils Asther, who plays the chief male part, assumes the character of Captain Franck, an Austrian intelligence officer. Posing as an Austrian redcross nurse, Maria'is thus able to picK up odd scraps of information from her patients. In an aeroplane crash, captain Franck is injured, and while in hospital, falls in love with Maria. They marry, but -Maria’s interest in her husband is in her appreciation of his possibilities as a source of professional information. Secret aiui important plans of the Austrian armies then begin to be revealed to the Russians, and the only clue the former have to work upon in their endeavour to stem the tide of information is that 824, a Russian spy, is in Austria. Who 824 is they do not know, but they realise that this spy is responsible for the giving away of their secrets. Of course, 824 is Maria, who continues with her work in a calm manner until she discovers that she really loves her husband, and then her conscience pricks her. From then on, the.picture moves at a tremendously fast pace, and 824 is unmasked,‘but escapes from the country: Captain Franck volunteers to go to Russia to square accounts with his spying wife,.and;one would think it impossible that there could be a chance of a happy reunion of the lovers, but an industrious and purposeful dramatist succeeds in moulding international and. military policies to his own purpose, and the happy result is that Franck and Maria come together again, and plan the resumption of their interrupted honeymoon. ‘Madame Spv ’ was directed by Karl Freund, who has been .successful in wedging a great deal of history into his present picture. Both Fay Wray and Nils Asther are responsible for very fine performances, and they are given valuable support by a strong cast which includes such _ names ‘as Edward Arnold, John Miljan, David Torrence, Noah Berry, and many others. ‘ Madame. Spy ’is a most exciting picture of love and intrigue, being the best example of its type that has been shown locally for some months. '

Two Universal newsreels make interesting items on the first half of the programme, which also embraces ah Oswald cartoon, another of the series of ‘ The Strange As It Seems ’ wonder pictures, and a hilarious comedy, ‘ Palsie Walsie.’