Pretty Good

Load of rubbish!!

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Blistering performances.

Tyrone Power plays a diplomatic courier called out on a special assignment which seems fairly simple: pick up some documents from an agent and take them to Washington. But of course, in a film like this, things don't work out right the first time. The "drop" doesn't go according to plan, so Power has to improvise, surrounded by an increasing number of characters whose loyalties are questionable. A couple of femmes fatales, a cross-dressing night club entertainer, some MPs, and the obligatory little bald pawnshop owner all liven up the plot, with plenty of twists en route to the finale. The influence of THE THIRD MAN is clear, with plenty of atmospheric European locations, and even a bit of zither music in a restaurant. Power is an engaging hero, and the two female leads (Neal and Neff) keep him guessing. Early appearances by Karl Malden, Charles Bronson, and Lee Marvin add interest for trivia buffs. Fans of Cold War espionage fiction will find DIPLOMATIC COURIER a great way to spend an evening.

This espionage film is quite enjoyable and is truly a fascinating little curio from the Cold War. However, it also is quite silly at times and plays more like a comic book or perhaps a B-movie than a genuine thriller. While the performances are pretty good (in particular, I liked Karl Malden in one of his early roles), the writing isn't and often credibility is simply thrown out the window--with Power playing the part more like he's in an Indiana Jones movie than a spy picture.Power plays a diplomatic courier who is sent to Salzburg to receive some information. Unfortunately, the man he is supposed to meet is murdered and Power isn't sure what to do next. The US army encourages him to go on a spy mission--not because they believe Power will complete it, but because they think the bad guys will tip their hand while trying to kill Power!! Sadly, they don't bother telling Power this and he just seems to blunder into things.In the midst of all this are two ladies--one of which is OBVIOUSLY bad since they keep accidentally meeting and one is possibly on the side of good. These two subplots are the biggest problem with the film. With the first woman, it's obvious to everyone in the audience that she's evil--after all, despite Europe being very large, they just happen to meet again and again?! With the second, her role wasn't bad, but having Power jump into the thick of things to rescue her was just silly. Tyrone Power was a fine actor--but here they have him playing more of an action hero and it really made the film seem rather cheesy.Still, despite some plot problems, it's a decent little time-passer with an interesting glimpse into a part of our history you seldom see on film.

As my summary suggests, I was taken aback by H. Neff's moving portrayal as the double agent in post-war Trieste. No gussied-up over emoting from her, just honest, gut-wrenching outpouring of uncontrived emotion delivered with articulation and intensity. When watching her explain herself to Mr. Power and others, I actually felt she must have been an agent in real life at some point. Those tears she shed while she delivered her rationale for her actions were the genuine type, not some Hollywood "tear-squirting" job. Why she never became a more sought-after actor, I'll never know. Maybe she was a little too deep and maybe too foreign for the superficially driven 1950's Hollywood system. Also impressive was Patricia Neal's interpretation of her femme fatale role.Also, I'll take exception to those who criticized T. Power's role. As I see it, he excelled in his performance as a world-weary, cynical Cold War courier. What do people expect? A rerun as a younger, pseudo-swashbuckling Caribbean pirate? I for one am glad he took a less glamorous and more substantive role such as this.On a somewhat sentimental note, it was nice to see some cameo-ish work from Lee Marvin, Michael Ansara and Chuck Buchinski (Bronson!) before their careers took off in the ensuing years. It made the film more fun to watch!

I SAW THIS MOVIE IN THE 50s, but I remember that it was well played by Tyrone Power and Hildegarde Neff, with solid direction and good B&W photography.Charles Bronson ( uncredited ), had only a few seconds on the screen, but I remember vividly that he made a tremendous impression, and I was sure he would attain stardom.