Did you ever wonder if the Kevin Spacey character in the Usual Suspects, Keyser Soze was done before? Well, it was. The Peter Lorre character, Colonel Gimpy (right down to the gimpy limp) is obviously the prototype for the Spacey character. It is interesting to note that not one critic from any of the online review services ever caught this before.But IMBD has. We caught it when we saw this film, Crack-Up, starring Peter Lorre and Brian Donlevy. Make no mistake, this is a middling, poorly written film. especially in the second half of the movie. But the character of Colonel Gimpy is outstanding, and a fit model for Keyser Soze, decades later. Fascinating to watch just to see where the Keyser Soze character comes from.

For a B film Crack-Up has a more complex plot than usual and some of the characters are clearly modeled on some prominent figures, Brian Donlevy is Floyd Bennett and Ralph Morgan to me represents Orville Wright.But Peter Lorre steals this film in a turnabout performance. When we first meet him he's a local character who hangs around an airfield who no one quite takes seriously. Than later we learn he's actually the head of a spy ring for an unknown country, but I'm thinking the Soviet Union.Donlevy is not only an ace pilot, but an aircraft designer and he's got a new type model propeller that Lorre's crowd wants. Circumstances and the film's plot bring Morgan, Donlevy, and Lorre together on a downed plane which Donlevy was piloting on an experimental New York to Berlin run. The dynamics between these three and young Thomas Beck on the plane to Berlin is quite interesting.This one is a neglected sleeper. Try to catch it.

Surprisingly good, low-budget little espionage thriller, told in 70 minutes (so you don't have much time to question the accuracy of the plot), with good performances by all, including Peter Lorre and J. Carrol Naish in subtle characterizations, and Thomas Beck in a major role. The plot concerning a German conspiracy to steal the blueprints of a new American airplane is centered around four male characters (Lorre, Beck, Brian Donlevy and Ralph Morgan) who end up together in a dangerous flight over the Atlantic. The fast dramatic events include ruthless killings and a plane crash, all unknowingly leading to II World War.

...that 's exactly what he might have done .And do not get me wrong:I like Ed Wood's movies! A spy thriller?A spoof? Who knows?Peter Lorre 's tongue -in-cheek performance is a true delight;whatever he plays, a "colonel" "playing" the trumpet ,a Bondesque Spectre/Blofeld (the scene when he gets rid of the man who betrayed him),or a romantic lunatic reciting Byron's poem ,or a hero who redeems himself,he is simply great!Matching him every step of the way is Brian Donlevy's "Ace" (sic!!!).And what about the crate(which might have inspired Wood)?Who on earth would like to steal that?The scene when the "plane" falls into the sea predates Wood's flying saucers !In that context,the young romantic lead (played by Thomas Beck who does not seem to realize how ridiculous the story is)can be nothing but a joke.This is hilarious and should not be missed.