Passport to Suez ** (1943, Warren William, Ann Savage, Eric Blore, Gavin Muir, Robert Stanford, Sheldon Leonard, Lloyd Bridges) – Classic Movie Review 6841

Director André De Toth’s 1943 thriller is a very passable, more than decently done Lone Wolf series entry, with Warren William back one more time in the last of his nine films as the jewel thief turned private detective Michael Lanyard, aka the Lone Wolf, this time of to Alexandria on the trail of the World War Two Nazi agents planning to blow up the all-vital Suez Canal. It is De Toth’s American debut as film director.

Ann Savage is appealing as Valerie King, the eager-beaver reporter-agent who helps him out and Eric Blore does plenty of comedic scene stealing in his on-going role as Lanyard’s butler Llewellyn Jameson. Also notable are Robert Stanford as Donald Jamison, Sheldon Leonard as Johnny Booth, Lloyd Bridges as Fritz, Sig Arno as Whistler, and Gavin Muir as Karl.

The 20th film featuring the Lone Wolf character, it is the eleventh of 15 movies in the Columbia Pictures series. The popular character was created by Louis Joseph Vance (1879–1933) in a series of eight novels published between 1914 and 1934. It was shot as A Night of Adventure and then as The Clock Strikes Twelve between 29 April and 18 May 1943.

Also in the cast are Gavin Muir, Robert Stanford, Sheldon Leonard, Lloyd Bridges, Louis Merrill, Sig Arno, Frederick Worlock, Jay Novello, Jack Rice and Frank Lackteen.

Passport to Suez is directed by André De Toth, runs 72 minutes, is released by Columbia Pictures, is written by John Stone, based on the story by Alden Nash, is shot in black and white by L William O’Connell, is produced by Irving Briskin and Wallace MacDonald, is scored by Werner R Heyman and Morris Stoloff, and is designed by Lionel Banks.

The US War Review Board disapproved of its export because it portrays British Intelligence as ineffectual and naive.

Warren William’s nine movie as Lone Wolf are: The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt (1939), The Lone Wolf Strikes (1940), The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady (1940), The Lone Wolf Keeps a Date (1941), The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance (1941), Secrets of the Lone Wolf (1941), Counter-Espionage (1942), One Dangerous Night (1943) and Passport to Suez (1943)

After that, Gerald Mohr took over for three movies, starting with The Notorious Lone Wolf (1946).

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6841

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