Universal horror specialist James Whale proves equally adept at romantic comedy in this stylish pre-Code gem. Paul Lukas stars as a butler in service to prince Nils Asther, who is mistaken for his boss by Elissa Landi – a charade the prince happily furthers when he takes a liking to the young woman himself.

Director William Cameron Menzies and producer Sam Wood brought this noir-stained B-masterpiece to the screen as a searing character study accentuated by brilliant production design and the deep-focus photography by Rudolph Maté. Two close friends (Paul Lukas, Morris Carnovsky) and their families become enmeshed in a Nazi-wrought nightmare before World War II. Also starring Carl Esmond, Peter Van Eyck and K.T. Stevens (Gloria Wood).

Robert Ryan, Merle Oberon and Paul Lukas head an international cast in the first Hollywood film shot on location in Allied-occupied postwar Germany. An ad-hoc cadre of allied officials, headed by train to a peace conference, suddenly become detectives when Germany’s most outspoken peace activist goes missing. A solid thriller, and a remarkable historical document of its time.