Watched this movie and I found it absolutely delightful. The story is about a double agent played by Vivien Leigh who is a dress shop owner in Sweden. I enjoyed the ingenious manner they used dresses to provide spy information and how the first part of the movie you believe the Vivien Leigh character to be a German spy. During her travels she meets Conrad Veidts character and we also she their courtship. Yes I have seen this movie with the drama and romance before but what makes it wonderful is the performances of the leads. You can see Ms Leighs beauty and how she commands ones attention every moment she is in the scene as her on camera presence is electrifying. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and so should you.

For a spy thriller—there are no thrills or suspense in this poorly scripted and directed film. None of the espionage operatives appear to be in mortal danger and only demonstrate a tepid apprehension of exposure. The dialogue lacks finesse, wit, excitement or urgency forcing the actors to deliver their lines as drab exposition. The suave, villainous screen persona of Conrad Veidt, usually played to excellent effect, is totally obscured in his portrayal of the German agent, Baron Karl Von Marwitz, who is the head of the intelligence ring. Vivien Leigh is the "traveling" dress designer Madeleine Goddard, working undercover, shuttling sensitive military information back and forth on behalf of the French cause. Her delicate beauty is showcased in too few close-ups. On whole, throughout the entire film, the cinema photographer relies on medium and long shots, cancelling out any possibility of conveying any subtlety of character development in the players. This misstep is especially detrimental to the progression of the romance between the two agents working for opposing sides. The audience gets no comprehension of what attracts one to the other. There is no heat, no longing desire. What do these two "lovers" see in each other? If the screenwriter knew, it certainly isn't on the screen for the viewer to see. The art production values in this movie are egregiously inept. The story is set during World War I, yet the women are coiffed and dressed in exquisite style epitomizing 1930s soigné glamour.

Conrad Veidt and Vivian Leigh play spies for Germany and Britain respectively during WWI. Eventually, the two meet and fall in love--a serious problem since they are on opposite sides and SHOULD try to kill each other! The film poses the question of what to do in such a situation--obey your heart or your patriotism.This film features one of the oddest romantic pairings I can think of off the top of my head. While I love Conrad Veidt and think he's a seriously under-appreciated actor, I just couldn't get over the idea of him having a romance with a young Vivian Leigh. He was older and perhaps too sophisticated---all I know is that I couldn't easily believe this combination. In addition, I am not a huge fan of this sort of film. While it was made pretty well, it just didn't engage me. This is not to say you won't like it--just don't believe anyone who would give this very run of the mill film a 10. The action, acting and direction were all fine--just not all that distinguished and I feel that the film is best described as a decent time-passer.

Vivien Leigh is beautiful and effective in her role as a spy masquerading as a Parisian dressmaker. There is requisite tension and passion in this thriller loosely-based on the real-life affair of couturiere Madeleine Cheruit and a high-ranking German officer during World War I. Another version of the story of the famous designer and her military lover is told in The Proprietor (1996)starring Jeanne Moreau.