I Spy

"I Spy" (1934, USA). Director: Allan Dwan.

Starring: Ben Lyon, Sally Eilers, H.F. Maltby and Andrews Englemann.

A British film with two Americans in the leads and an American director.

Ben Lyon was often cast as a romantic lead, but in this film he proved that he was a talented comedian too.

I like comedies, in which ordinary persons are recruited as spies. Notable examples are "Hot Enough for June" (1964) and "Spy" (2015).

"I Spy" is fast-paced with lots of funny lines. There is a good chemistry between Lyon and Eilers. Lyon's character, Wally Sawyer, is not clumsy, but rather inventive, using clever tricks to neutralize his enemies and his charm to be acquainted with the Countess.

Through the usual sort of mistake in comedies, Ben Lyons finds himself mistaken for a spy and ordered to get drunk with a duchess, permitting her to steal a letter from him. It turns out to be Sally Eilers, complete with French accent, who is a duchess in a tupenny-ha'penny country on rail lines that connect with Paris. On discovering that Lyons is not a spy, spy master (!) H. F. Maltby pursues him and Miss Eilers with a vaguely German accent and no good result in mind.

Check the date. It's not a spoof of The Lady Vanishes. It's directed by Alan Dwan, and it was produced by British International Picture while Dwan and the two leads were in England. Lyons stayed for twenty years, Dwan and Miss Eilers returned to the United States.

Surprisingly, Miss Eilers gets some of the best lines and/or delivers them better than Lyons. Harry Tate has a nice part in the beginning, then disappears from the audience's ken, and Stewart Granger is reputed to have a bit part; if he did, I missed him, as usual. Over all it's one of those comedies that largely substitutes speed for anything funny, although at 62 minutes, it goes by too fast to bore.

Having made his screen debut as an extra at the age of 20 alongside Bebe Daniels, Granger continued to pursue his acting career by appearing in this film. He's not noticeable, but he was around before James Mason even though he's four years younger than Mason.

Whilst made by BIP this supposed comedy boasts two American stars in Ben Lyon and Sally Eilers and an American director,no less than Allen Dwan,director of the original Jazz Singer.In fact the only English contribution is from music hall star,Harry Tate,who is by far the funniest things in this misfiring comedy.Presumably it is a spoof of spy films,which were then the rage,but it just isn't funny.I wonder if BIP were able to claim it for quota purposes.