Good , But It Is Overrated By Some

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Here, Nazi silliness makes "Hogan's Heroes" look serious. Two Jewish cops (Milton Berle and Joe Kirk) are assigned to the German Embassy in New York, an assignment I wouldn't wish on a Communist. The head of the embassy is the very imperious, very rigid Otto Preminger who verbally assaults Berle the moment he makes his introduction. Calling him pretty much everything but his last name, he even questions him on his European heritage, giving the hint that he's going to place Berle's remaining relatives in a concentration camp. When Berle meets Preminger's lovely American born wife (Joan Bennett), he learns that this fate has already befell her father thanks to Preminger. Berle finds it difficult to become friendly with the staff until compliments towards a mostly German speaking maid (Poldi Dur) break through her seemingly cold demeanor towards him, showing that underneath the fear of showing one's own identity past Nazi ambitions dominated those forced to work for people they most likely secretly despised.Of course, it's only a matter of time before one of the Nazi's is killed, possibly by one of the people seemingly closest to them. Berle must put the pieces together to expose the killer, no matter how well deserved the murder was. The film is told in flashback aboard a navy ship where Berle explains how he met German Baron Carl Esmond, accused by Preminger of being part Jewish and threatened with entertainment in a concentration camp. Probably timely in 1943, it seems much dated now, even if the propaganda factor is of interest historically. Berle doesn't seem much "the cop type", and Bennett is pretty much wasted, even in a top-billed assignment. Preminger overacts with such obvious hatred towards the politics of the Nazi's. In fact, his performance seems to have influenced actor Leon Askin who played the German General on "Hogan's Heroes".It's hard to either like or dislike this film, because it is clear that its motivations were to show that Nazi influence was felt locally. The Manhattan community of Yorkville (the location of Gracie Mansion) is mentioned as being particularly known as an area where members of the Nazi party living abroad lived. In a documentary on the movie "All Through the Night", this is also mentioned, and it is clear that several of the scenes in that film (dealing with a Nazi spy ring) in New York take place there as well. So I have to call this anti-Nazi comedy (one of many) historically important rather than an entertainment because it gives the message that "Be quiet. The enemy might be listening", a warning that still exists today.

It's just a joy to see Moe Finkelstein,a modest cop ,give lessons in democracy to a consul (the director/actor) and to a German of high birth,a baron !It was a propaganda movie ,but it did not repeat parrot(!) fashion Preminger's peers ' errors (!).Actually the purpose of the movie was to denounce Nazis and it pulls it off with gusto ,thanks to Milton Berle's naive but effective common sense .He probably never read "Tristan Und Isolde" but he knows that his country is the country where you enjoy freedom of expression.The movie cannot be ranked among Preminger's finest works,by a long shot ,but its construction (a long flashback) is a good way to show that all the Germans are not evil when the cop (now a soldier)stands up for his noble friend .There's also a murder mystery a la Agatha Christie a bit far fetched but rather smart. Fine acting,particularly by Joan Benett and Milton Berle.Preminger's character is a bit caricatured.

Preminger also starred and directed the stage play which ran highly successful seasons both on Broadway (264 performances) and the West Coast, so he was a natural for the movie version. Unfortunately, the play is more than a trifle dated, unlike Mrs Luce's other huge stage success, The Women, which is still pointed and amusing even today. By contrast, the women in Margin for Error are not the least bitchy, feline or self-indulgent. Instead, the comedy (such as it is) centers on the efforts of a Jewish cop to come to terms with his duties at the German consulate. He smiles a lot, wins the heart of a serving girl (the lovely Leisl Handl) and has plenty to say and do, but Milton Berle's interpretation never strikes me as either the slightest bit policeman-like or true-to-life. Otto Preminger's portrait of the evil consul is equally one-dimensional, but at least he gives the role presence and charisma. While Preminger rivets attention, Berle is just plain dish-washy. Admittedly, the plot is full of holes, and the other police officers are likewise ridiculously simple-minded. Thank goodness the rest of the cast are better served by the script, particularly Howard Freeman in his best role ever as the strutting, cowardly Mussolini-like bund leader; dashing Carl Esmond as the secretary; and beautiful Joan Bennett as the wife. Production values, led by Cronjager's velvety photography and Day's appealing sets, impress

I saw this film last night at the NFT.Unfortunately my hopes were not realised.It could not decide whether it was a comedy,drama or war film.Otto Preminger,doing his usual nasty Nazi was the only good thing in the film.When he disappeared the whole film went down the plughole.Milton Berle is unknown in the UK.I have seen some of his film performances which tend to be rather over the top.In this film he is rather restrained,more is the pity.Even he could not draw humour out of what should have been a promising situation.Apparently Otto was so keen for this film to succeed he spent his own money on rewrites.This begs the question just how bad the film was before the script alterations.All i can say is,Otto you should have saved your money.