Contraband (1940)

Director:

Michael Powell

Writers:

Emeric Pressburger (original story & screenplay)
Michael Powell (scenario) ...
(more)

Release Date:

29 November 1940 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Romance

Tagline:

Stop that man and woman! His mission is deadlier than that of the enemy in the sky. Her beauty is a dangerous weapon of war!

Plot:

Early in World War II, Danish sea captain Andersen, delayed in a British port, tangles with German spies.

Plot Keywords:

Spy | Danish | Blackout | Sea Captain | One Word Title

Cast

Conrad Veidt	...	Capt. Andersen
Valerie Hobson	...	Mrs.Sorensen
Hay Petrie	...	Axel Skold / Erik Skold
Joss Ambler	...	Lt. Cmdr. Ashton, RNR
Raymond Lovell	...	Van Dyne
Esmond Knight	...	Mr.Pidgeon
Charles Victor	...	Hendrick
Phoebe Kershaw	...	Miss Lang
Harold Warrender	...	Lt. Cmdr. Ellis, RN
John Longden	...	Passport Officer
Eric Maturin	...	Passport Officer
Paddy Browne	...	Singer in 'Regency'
Henry Wolston	...	First Danish Waiter
Julian Vedey	...	Second Danish Waiter
Sydney Moncton	...	Third Danish Waiter
Hamilton Keen	...	Fourth Danish Waiter
Leo Genn	...	First Brother Grimm
Stuart Latham	...	Second Brother Grimm
Peter Bull	...	Third Brother Grimm
Dennis Arundell	...	Lieman
Molly Hamley-Clifford	...	Baroness Hekla
Eric Berry	...	Mr. Abo
Olga Edwardes	...	Mrs. Abo
Toni Gable	...	Miss Karoly
Desmond Jeans	...	First Karoly
Eric Hales	...	Second Karoly
J.H. Roberts	...	Hanson (as John Roberts)
Manning Whiley	...	Manager of 'Mousetrap'
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Frank Allenby	...	(uncredited)
Patrick Barr	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Esma Cannon	...	Erik Skold's niece (uncredited)
Albert Chevalier	...	(uncredited)
Erik Chitty	...	Cloakroom Attendant (uncredited)
Mark Daly	...	Taxi driver (uncredited)
John England	...	(uncredited)
Erik	...	Spaniel (uncredited)
Cameron Hall	...	Naval Officer (uncredited)
Haddon Mason	...	(uncredited)
Bernard Miles	...	Man lighting pipe (uncredited)
Milo O'Shea	...	Air Raid Warden (uncredited)
Nicholas Phipps	...	Man in car (uncredited)
Duncan Ross	...	(uncredited)
Johnnie Schofield	...	Waiter at the Cab Drivers Shelter (uncredited)
Michael Shepley	...	Man in club (uncredited)
Spangle	...	Spaniel (uncredited)
Torin Thatcher	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Townsend Whitling	...	(uncredited)
Ben Williams	...	Man Selling Torches (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Powell

Writing credits
Emeric Pressburger		(original story & screenplay)
Michael Powell		(scenario) and
Brock Williams		(scenario)

Produced by
John Corfield	....	producer
Roland Gillett	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Richard Addinsell		(as Richard Addinsel)
John Greenwood

Cinematography by
Freddie Young		(as F.A. Young)

Film Editing by
John Seabourne Sr.		(as John Seabourne)

Set Decoration by
Alfred Junge		(settings)

Costume Design by
Rahvis		(uncredited)

Production Management
Anthony Nelson Keys	....	production manager

Sound Department
C.C. Stevens	....	sound recordist
A.W. Watkins	....	sound recordist
John W. Mitchell	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Skeets Kelly	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Music Department
Muir Mathieson	....	musical director

Other crew
Hedley Briggs	....	designer & executor: "White Negro" Cabaret
Betty Curtis	....	production secretary (uncredited)
George Mills	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Joan Page	....	production secretary (uncredited)
Bill Paton	....	assistant: Mr Powell (uncredited)
Phyllis Ross	....	continuity (uncredited)

Production Companies

• British National Films

Distributors

• Anglo-American Film Corporation (1940) (UK) (theatrical) (distribution controlled by)
• United Artists (1940) (USA) (theatrical)
• Astra Paris Films (1945) (France) (theatrical)
• Státní Pujcovna Filmu (194?) (Czechoslovakia) (theatrical)
• Kino Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Admiralty, The  British National Films acknowledge with grateful thanks the co-operation of, without whose wholehearted assistance this picture could not have been made (as the Admiralty)
• Ministry of Economic Warfare  British National Films acknowledge with grateful thanks the co-operation of, without whose wholehearted assistance this picture could not have been made (as the Ministry of Economic Warfare)
• Ministry of Information  British National Films acknowledge with grateful thanks the co-operation of, without whose wholehearted assistance this picture could not have been made (as the Ministry of Information)

Also Known As:

Blackout (USA)

Runtime:

92 min | USA:80 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Danish

Colour:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Sweden:15 | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Chester Square, Belgravia, London, England, UK

Company:

British National Films

Trivia:

The first film that Deborah Kerr worked on. She played a cigarette girl in one of the nightclubs visited. But although she impressed everyone, her scene ended up on the cutting room floor.

Quotes:

Captain Anderson: Big ships, small adventures; small ships, big adventures.

Movie Connections:

References Spione (1928)

a great pairing

Conrad Veidt and Valerie Hobson had appeared together with surprising effect in 'The Spy in Black'. They were reunited in this splendid comedy thriller with a Hitchcockian mode the following year.

Lots of action and wry humour, with a pleasing spy story set in a London blackout. Hobson plays a spy who needs to get information to the Admiralty. To do this, she steals the landing pass of the ship's skipper (Veidt) whilst the ship is in harbour for a contraband check.

Veidt follows her to London where they encounter a Nazi spy ring intent on obtaining this information. They are tied up, but Veidt escapes, and with the help of fellow Danes (Veidt is Danish in this film, and a good guy!), foils the plot.

Funny, charming, sexy and thrilling (with just a little bit of bondage!), and with a great chemistry between the two stars.

Great fun!