I love this movie. I just caught it on TCM today and what a treat. Madge Evans and Edmund Lowe are reporters on a train following a munitions tycoon. The reasons for this are fairly thin, as is the resolution to the plot. But the movie's strength is in its fast pace and the chemistry between the two leads. When I first realized Lowe would be the leading man I prepared myself for disappointment. He's not exactly Cary Grant to look at. Evans is beautiful, of course. So I was worried this would be one of those old films with a beautiful young woman and a gross older man where the spark is just not there. These movies littered the 1930s and, more often than not, are duds. But don't worry the chemistry is there between these two leads. They have a lot of fun with the roles and it shows. It's fast, light, and fun with lots of great banter. Madge Evans, who I have seen before in a couple of roles, has never looked lovelier than here. There's also a great supporting cast, headed by Paul Lukas as the tycoon they're after. Overall I think it's a hidden gem and I recommend you catch it next time it's on.
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utgard1430 January 2013
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SnoopyStyle10 July 2020An European munitions magnate has disappeared and various governments are alarmed. Reporters Kenneth Stevens and Patricia Booth from different newspapers board a train after getting the same tip. They join forces to pose as a married couple to track down the elusive magnate.
I don't know these actors but the lead couple has some good combative banter. It would be better if they are long time rivals and have some history together. This pairing could have had some legs. The moustache reveal is such a ridiculous move that it's actually funny. The movie gets sillier and sillier. The story has a few bumps and has trouble staying on track. It's less about the plot and more about the fun chemistry. -
blanche-226 June 2021Espionage was more about two people (Edmund Lowe and Madge Evans) posing as a married couple than it was actual espionage. Evans is a reporter who steals her boss' passport so she can go to Europe and get a big story; Lowe is a writer sent by an editor for the same story.
There wasn't much to this. I wasn't familiar with Madge Evans - she reminded me a little of Irene Dunne, and she played her part well. Ketti Gallian was a stunning French actress who didn't make it in Hollywood.
Paul Lukas is the weapons manufacturer who is the object of the story - everyone winds up on a train, as Lowe and Evans attempt to find out Lukas' next move. But somehow that all gets lost amidst Lowe's violin playing, his disguises, knocks on the head, and Evans throwing him out of her compartment.
It was all okay but when I watch a film called Espionage, I want to see espionage. This was more of a rom-com. -
Lowe plays a smart-aleck mystery novelist who agrees to board the Orient Express to get the goods on an arms dealer (Lukas) for a newspaper editor pal. But when his passport is lifted by a pickpocket (Gallagher), he finds himself forced to pose as the husband of passenger Evans, unaware that she's a reporter who's also on Lukas' trail.
This isn't a strictly an espionage film, it's a mix of adventure, romance, silly antics and comedy. The emphasis is on the latter. Actually more like a rom-com and features an enjoyable duo Edmund Lowe and Madge Evans, their banter and antics are amusing, however it's a bit slow moving midway and a little muddled and lacking focus. However, overall a pleasant viewing. -
bkoganbing6 July 2020Espionage has reporters on rival newspapers, Edmund Lowe and Madge Evans om a train together and trailing European munitions king Paul Lukas on a story though I'm still not clear what specifically Lukas is supposed to have done. Circumstances and somewhat amusing ones at that have Lowe and Evans pretending to be husband and wife.
Lowe and Evans engage in some delightful banter between them. Funniest in the film is Billy Gilbert who plays a corpulent and somewhat gross Turk that Lowe is supposed to share a cabin with. That he would seek out Evans as a traveling companion is completely understandable.
Other than selling arms I'm not sure what Lukas was guilty of. Would that the snappy dialog had a better story to be in. -
One of the forgotten yet highly entertaining actors of the 30s and 40s was Edmund Lowe. While he wasn't among the more handsome leading men, his easy style and erudite persona made for some wonderful films--even if he is somewhat forgotten today. "Espionage" is one of his better films--even if it wasn't intended as a prestige film. Lowe and Madge Evans both play reporters from rival newspapers who are chasing a famous munitions supplier, Kronsky (Paul Lukas)--trying to get a story. Yet, somehow, neither knows that the other is a reporter! The world THINKS something serious is afoot--such as a war, and the pair end up posing as husband and wife aboard Kronsky's train. While they manage to ingratiate themselves to Kronsky and his girlfriend, a serious hiccup comes into their pursuit when an unknown assassin tosses a bomb at Kronsky. In the confusion, they think Lowe and Evans are responsible--leading to a crazy foray through Switzerland. I think the film slows down a bit here--becoming a bit silly. But, overall, who cares? While the plot did get pretty silly, somehow Lowe and Evans make it all work. Their on screen relationship works quite well and the film left me wanting more. Fun and enjoyable--what more do you want from a movie?
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boblipton31 January 2013MGM did not produce B movies. They produced quality movies full of stars.
Mind you, occasionally, some oddball picture did escape, like MY DEAR MISS ALDRICH, and this one, which plays like a Columbia Pictures thriller written by some one who had been reading Graham Greene and didn't take any of it seriously. Then, in typical MGM fashion, they cast it perfectly, with Edmund Lowe, always willing to play a matinée idol, and Madge Evans, who was happy to get the work. Then they cast the minor roles with comedians and told off Ray June to photograph it, who produced some astonishing proto-noir effects using, it would seem, baby spots to light the actors and leave the sets dark.
The result is a hoot and not something you'd expect from MGM. Take a look. -
I give this a 7 or 8. 'Espionage' focuses on two opposing reporters on a train secretly trying to get a story and their suspicious/quirky fellow passengers who think they're a pair of newlyweds. It's 1937 and an informant leaks the European train schedule of a munitions mogul, Kronsky, to two rival newspapers. The first paper's star reporter is Patricia (Madge Evans) but her passport won't be valid because of a previous story angering many countries and to quote her editor they'd 'throw you in a concentration camp' (I found this an interesting line given the time and place of production). So she steals her boss' passport (which is a dual passport picturing him and his wife). The other paper's star reporter just began his vacation and only wants to spend it with his girl. However the editor finds at his house (in his bed, no less!) a violin-playing author named Ken (Edmund Lowe) whom he sends in his place. Patricia (who dislikes Ken's books) and Ken (who dislikes Patricia's column) meet on the train without revealing who they really are and why they're really there.
Ken has his passport stolen so he pretends to be Patricia's husband (via the passport photo of her boss). Soon the whole trains thinks they're newlyweds due in part to a friendly/busybody passenger from Missouri. When Kronsky's private carriage connects to the train and he visits the dining car everyone on the train becomes interested in him (except for the man from Missouri). Soon there's an assassination attempt..
This movie moves at a fast pace and has some minor mysteries to it in figuring out everyone's motivations but mostly it's a nice comedy with a few clever twists. It's not hilarious but I enjoyed myself while watching it. With about 20 minutes left they get off the train and all mysteries are gone and replaced with mild hijinks (alcohol, impersonations, and fake moustaches). The word 'mild' should mean I was bored and hitting the ffwd button but the script keeps things moving along (the movie's a little over an hour long). The ending is very upbeat and a little flat and the movie definitely loses some of its enjoyment once they get off the train. Performance-wise Ken hams it up a bit but Patricia was pretty good, if a little too straight in a scene or two. It made me wish it was Myrna Loy and William Powell together in this film. I'm surprised I'm rating it so high but I had a good time watching it.
Here are a couple examples of some of the humor. Ken goes to his original car and finds his roommate is a large Turk stifling the room with smoke from his hookah (helps his allergies) and Ken sniffs the air and says 'Oh, vanilla.' Or when Patricia and Ken are dining together and the Turk's sipping soup from his plate Patricia notes 'He's using the wrong spoon.' It's cute but not hilarious.