Conrad Veidt delivers a solid performance as twins--one who is a Nazi in America, and the other who became an American citizen. In this tale of espionage and betrayal, Veidt is convincing as both the evil, scheming brother (Baron Hugo) the passive stamp dealer (Otto).When Otto impersonates his brother, his every move can mean death for his friends or for countless others .This mid-war drama plays on the fears of the time. Released only three months after the terrible attack on Pearl Harbor and the U.S. entry into WWII, when American imaginations could see conspiracies and hidden plots around every corner, "Nazi Agent" is, ultimately, a heroic story of self-sacrifice.The final act is unrealistic and overblown, but its feel-good twist no doubt gave American viewers the morale boost they were seeking.

Jules Dassin already shows great flair in his first full-length feature film. From the opening montage, you know you're in the hands of a director who has a strong visual and dramatic sense.Conrad Veidt does double duty as two contrasting characters, and pulls it off with aplomb. The supporting cast is also strong.However, NAZI AGENT suffers from a hackneyed and completely implausible script. It relies heavily on coincidence, and on what Roger Ebert would call an "idiot plot." (That's a plot that would unravel early on if even one character would behave logically...in this case, Otto Becker.) The first 20 minutes or so is promising. Even later in the movie there are some nice ideas and plenty of tension. But the overall idiocy of the central concept spoils the effect.Do you believe that a humble old stamp dealer has enough makeup in his office to turn himself into a different character on the spur of the moment, while thugs wait at the bottom of the stairs? Do you believe that anyone would blindly assume the character of a man without having the faintest clue about his job, his colleagues, or who and what he might be expected to know and do? Or that a meek-mannered little man can successfully pose as a cold-blooded Nazi? If you can believe all this, you'll probably give NAZI AGENT a ten.

Nazi Agent presents a rare opportunity to see the great Conrad Veidt play a lead role (as twin brothers with opposite personalities and values, no less) in a well-preserved sound film with a solid, serious theme and lasting value. Although this is obviously a "B"-level production made on a low budget, the brisk direction by Jules Dassin, the tight and literate script and some very good supporting players, make it as satisfying as many an "A" effort. Otto is a gentle expatriate German bookseller whose quiet life in America is disrupted when his Nazi twin, Baron Hugo von Detner, threatens to reveal his illegal immigrant status to the US authorities unless he allows the Nazi spy network to use his bookstore as a message center. Otto desolately goes along for a while but when he finally resists, Hugo comes to shoot him. They struggle. Otto shoots Hugo instead, then assumes his identity and proceeds to sabotage the saboteurs, who include the memorable Martin Kosleck, whose presence in many films from this time screamed "Nazi." With his marionette-like features, lacquered hair and fey efficiency, he was a top scene stealer. Another excellent performance comes from the prolific Frank Reicher as Fritz, Hugo's aging valet who quickly realizes that his master isn't really his master. But it's really Veidt's movie, playing warm and cold, frightened and bold, kind and cruel – all with shading, subtlety and expertise. The movies suffered an irreparable loss in April 1943 when this man died on a California golf course at the age of 50.This quietly powerful film is an adventure of ideas and ideals. The ending, though not as well shot as it might have been, is both stirring and heartbreaking.

I saw that there was a couple of Nazi films on TNT last night and decided to give them a viewing. Sometimes these old black and whites can really have interesting stories. This was true to my expectations.This was a Jules Dassin film. He was one of the most important directors in post-WWII America. Unfortunately he got caught up in the Red Scare led by Senator McCarthy and was blacklisted. he moved to Europe, where he continued to make movies.His most influential film was the heist movie Rififi, which inspired a genre of movies including Ocean's Eleven and Mission: Impossible.The movie stars Conrad Veidt, who is himself a very interesting character. Most movie goers would remember him as Gestapo Maj. Strasser in the classic Casablanca. This is interesting because he was a staunch anti-Nazi who was himself chased out of Germany under threat of assassination. He was to play Dracula in 1931, but Bela Lugosi got the job. His performance in The Man Who Laughs, was used as the basis for "The Joker" in the early Batman.Veidt give a good performance as a twin whose brother is a Nazi agent. he kills him and takes his place to fight against the Nazi underground in America.It is not a terribly exciting film, but it was suspenseful, and a chance to see one of the great American directors and a great German/British actor.