The novel on which this movie was based, namely "Stranger at Home", presented an intriguing premise, but little reader involvement. Certainly it's hard to get over-enthused by the film. The script is weighed down with talk, the direction is stolidly routine, and Paulette Goddard seems bound to disappoint her fans. She's neither clothed nor photographed to advantage, and her portrayal appears lackluster to say the least. Admittedly, a couple of good performances do save the day. I always enjoy Russell Napier, even when he's handed a second-rate script, as here. I can usually take or leave Paul Carpenter, the king of quota quickies, but in this case he delivers the best acting in the film. All the same, a movie in which Paul Carpenter shines is not exactly my idea of an engrossing film noir.

This movie has something for every taste and could fall into several classifications. In addition to the website heading of Drama, Thriller and War it could also be a Comedy, Adventure or even a Film Noir. It is very entertaining and characteristically well done under the Launder-Gilliat banner.I think, though, that it could have a higher rating if it could have decided exactly which genre it should fall under. It is an absorbing picture until, at a very inopportune moment it decides to inject a bit of humor into a scene, thereby killing the mood as well as the tension. I wished it had taken itself seriously as it could have been and excellent WWII spy picture. As is, it is a good enough as a comedy/drama which goes about its business with tongue firmly planted in cheek. Deborah Kerr is the central character as Bridie Quilty, an idealistic Irish lass who wants to work for the IRA. She carries the picture and Trevor Howard along with her. There is also a wonderful cast of supporting actors who boost the proceedings immeasurably, and I wonder if some are from Dublin's Abbey Theatre, so capable are they in their roles. No other complaints, and I would recommend it to film fans who enjoy a potpourri of genres in their movies.

Deborah Kerr plays an impressionable Irish gal who can't wait to lash out at Britain, but her first negative, naive traipse through England forces to her grow a bit and reconsider. This movie is three parts Hitchcock, one part noir and one part wartime propaganda. Think of it as "Uppity Irish know-it-all descends 39 steps." The noir aspect is the best stuff here; the cinematography being much, much finer than the script. The camera work is way above average. As with Hitchcock, the shenanigans continue in an arbitrary way, daisy-chaining through an arbitrary number (too many) of arbitrary intrigues, in different (arbitrary) locations, until the thing is long enough to end. The quality of the dramatic engagement is rather low. In the films clumsiest moments, the sequences require a distracting number of Kerr's voice-over "thoughts.' Perhaps the most unusual part of the movie is when ownership of a dead sympathizer falls to Kerr at the worst possible time, and she is forced to devise a ruse which the movie pursues to a rather morbid end.Just how Trevor Howard can make anyone abandon their stereotypes of Britons is a head scratcher. He plays a stiff, humorless, passionless mainstream Brit. He's a complete non-entity. Howard flouncing down a stairway, arms aflutter, is one of the most risible moments ever put on film.I confuse scenes from this with "I Know Where I'm Going" (also about an insufferable traveler, also unsuccessful as to why audiences should identify with/endure its unpleasant heroine) and "A Canterbury Tale" (also about travels through England, with ravishing imagery). It's gone from your mind the second it's over for the usual reason; its conceits are better than its concerns.

Enjoyed seeing how young Deborah Kerr appeared in this picture at the age of twenty-four years. Deborah plays the role as Birdie Quilty who works in her families pub in England and heard all kinds of stories told by people who visited the pub about how Ireland fought against the British years ago and she starts to form a hated toward the English Government. Birdie becomes of age and wants to go to Dublin, Ireland to live and work and she meets up with some very strange people who have listened to Birdie talk about England and they decide to utilize her hatred towards the British Nation for their own benefits. Birdie finds herself in some very difficult situations until she meets up with a British Lt. David Baynes, (Trevor Howard) who seems to fall madly in love with Birdie at first seeing her and on other dates, it becomes serious. However, Birdie has so many dark secrets that she does not want to show any affections towards David and this still does not stop David from following her from one country to another. This is a very great film with plenty of funny moments and at other times can be very dark and mysterious. Enjoy.