Directed by Jack Conway, with a screenplay by Guy Trosper, this slightly above average mystery has its ironies: William Powell plays an amnesiac, two years and three films after playing one in the comedy I Love You Again (1940) (with Myrna Loy), who's married to Hedy Lamarr, as he was in his next film, the comedy Heavenly Body (1943), and only other pairing with her; all three films were made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). Even though this one is not a comedy, it is a fairly compelling mystery, featuring two twists in the final 15 minutes. Excellent support is provided by Claire Trevor (whose character sings), Basil Rathbone, Margaret Wycherly, Felix Bressart, Sig Ruman, and H.B. Warner.David Talbot (Powell) and his newlywed wife Lucienne (Lamarr) have just celebrated three months of marriage when he receives a mysterious letter. Though it's unsigned, it insists that Talbot pay his debt of one million francs in a most unusual & discrete way. Talbot, a diplomat that expects to become France's ambassador to Brazil soon, pretends to follow the instructions so that the authorities can arrest La Duc (Vladimir Sokoloff, uncredited). In court, La Duc claims that Talbot is really Jean Pelletier, a man who borrowed the requested sum 13 years prior. During the proceedings, Talbot's friend Dr. Tessier (Bressart) testifies that Talbot has suffered from amnesia, that Talbot was badly injured around the time of the date in question and doesn't remember anything prior to when Tessier found him, and helped him to recover. The prosecuting attorney (Warner) introduces Dr. Dubroc (Ruman), who successfully counters Tessier's testimony. He also introduces Michelle Allaine (Trevor), who solidifies the prosecution's case that Talbot and Pelletier are one in the same. However, Henri Sarrou (Rathbone) comes forward and exonerates Talbot, given legal documentation that proves Pelletier is dead.Later, however, Sarrou arrives at the Talbot's and privately demands one million francs from the diplomat. He claims that Talbot really is Pelletier, that as such he participated in a theft of two million francs 13 years ago and even suffered a powder burn on his hand from killing the messenger during the robbery. Later, Michelle visits Talbot at his office and shows him a locket she wears around her neck which contains an intimate picture of the two of them. She also tells him that he should be ashamed of letting his mother live in poverty, giving him the address. Talbot visits the elderly Madame Pelletier (Wycherly) who convinces him, without overtly admitting it, that she is indeed his mother. Throughout all of this, Talbot keeps his wife in the dark and tries to cover his tracks. However, she begins to suspect there is something going on and visits Tessier for council & comfort. Tessier is intrigued enough to visit Sarrou himself. When Sarrou then visits Talbot at a diplomatic luncheon, the hopeful future ambassador is pressured into a deadline by his blackmailer.The film keeps one guessing right up until this point, one doesn't really know what to believe and Powell does an excellent job playing the role such that one's not sure if he was in fact Pelletier. It is then revealed that Sarrou, Michelle, and Madame Pelletier, who is really La Duc's wife, are scamming the diplomat. After an elaborate embezzlement attempt at the embassy, in which the suspicious wife who'd followed her husband also finds herself, the police arrive to arrest everybody. Then Talbot plays the game, pretending to think that he must be Pelletier and therefore guilty of murder in order to get Michelle to crack and admit the ruse.Apparently, Talbot had alerted the authorities beforehand about the robbery to setup the all too convenient confession. If not for this, and the loose end of the powder burn on Talbot's hand (e.g. how did Sarrou know it was there?), I would have given this film an even higher rating.

The bad news (which isn't really that bad) is that if you're expecting the William Powell that we all love in movies like "The Thin Man", well, you're going to be disappointed. There's no witty comedy here...thank goodness. But what you do have is that rarest of rare things -- a movie about amnesia that actually works (the only other one that comes to mind is "Random Harvest". What's good about this is that it keeps you guessing. First, is he or isn't he. Second, if he isn't, how is he going to get out of his situation.William Powell, who portrays a French diplomat, is excellent here. In parts of the film he seems a bit befuddled...but he's supposed to be since half his life is gone in his memory, and he questions whether he is the good man of his later life, or a bad man in his former life.Hedy Lamarr, not one of my favorites, is quite good here as his wife. I must say that recently I've watched a few of her films and I may have to change my mind about her acting ability.It isn't that Claire Trevor's acting as a blackmailer is spectacular, but it occurred to me what a broad resume she had in films. She does swell here.Basil Rathbone is reasonably good as the chief blackmailer.Character actress Margaret Wycherly has a fine turn as one of the blackmailers, particular in that she SORT OF plays 2 roles here...and is convincing in both.Felix Bressart (here as a doctor) is always a welcome treat as character actors go, but this role is a bit different for him, and he plays it very well.There are 2 problems here. The first is not that great a problem -- a slightly slow beginning for the first quarter of the film. The bigger problem is how quickly the film wraps up and hands us a happy ending. It's not an implausible ending...just seems to come around all too conveniently.Nevertheless, this film really held my interest. A very strong "7". Recommended.

The film involves a French government worker (William Powell) who all of a sudden is accused of having another identity several years ago involving a murder and stolen money. Hedy Lamarr plays the wife of the French government employee. This movie had me second guessing whether William Powell did have amnesia or if he was being "conned" into a past history for which he had no recollection (he has suffered a coma several years ago). Eventually, William Powell does figure it all out and I thought I was looking at the Nick Charles character piecing together all of the evidence at the end of the movie. The only thing missing was Myrna Loy and Asta. A somewhat different role for William Powell in this film. Instead of the "take charge" persona that you often see for him in other movies, he is the one who is totally unsure of himself in this film. A somewhat refreshing change of pace for him. Hedy doesn't have that much of an impact in this movie, but is still her usual glamorous self. Claire Trevor and Basil Rathbone portray the major villains. Felix Bressart (from the Shop Around the Corner) plays a psychologist friend of William Powell.

Slickly done MGM programmer. It may not be a top-of-the-line production, but it still has the studio's signature polish and glamor. The premise is an intriguing one-- is successful diplomat Powell also a murderer with a bad case of memory. With luscious wife La Marr and an ascending career, he's got a long way to fall if he is. Powell is his usual urbane self, while La Marr and Trevor get to play dress-up, big time, while Rathbone gets a break from Sherlock by playing a rather nasty villain. There's nothing special here, just an entertaining diversion with a rather unsurprising ending. For those interested in European types, this is a good opportunity to catch them under a single roof, as it were-- especially Felix Bressart, whose pixilated professor lifts the sometimes stolid proceedings. Aesthetically, there's one really striking composition of black and white photography. Powell's on his way to the river to end it all. But next to the coursing dark waters separated by a zigzagging wall is a shimmering cobblestone boulevard lit by three foggy street lamps. It's an uncommon depth of field with subtly contrasting shades of black and gray. All in all, it's a real grabber, and demonstrates vividly those values that have been lost in the wholesale move to Technicolor.