Confessions of a Nazi Spy Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

Confessions of a Nazi Spy Blu-ray Movie Review

The original foreign correspondent.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III March 27, 2023

Perhaps best remembered as the first anti-Nazi film to be released by a major Hollywood studio -- several months before WWII started, and of course more than two years before Pearl Harbor -- Anatole Litvak's Confessions of a Nazi Spy is clearly the product of a very specific time period. Combining the previous decade's penchant for "ripped from the headlines" stories with the growing specter of Nazism at home and abroad, this political thriller is a somewhat tangled and overcrowded affair but well worth watching for its performances and historical value. Featuring an outstanding cast headlined by Edward G. Robinson (five years before Double Indemnity), it's a unique slice of Golden Age cinema that shouldn't be missed... thanks especially to Warner Archive's typically great restoration efforts.

The film's plot -- which, in all honesty, is kind of secondary to its emotional intent -- is reportedly based on a series of articles by FBI officer Leon G. Turrou (as told to David G. Wittels in The New York Post from 1938-1939), who famously recounted stories of secret Nazi spy rings hiding inside America's borders. Much of Confessions' first half follows activity in and around these circles from the perspective of everymen like estranged American soldier Kurt Schneider (Francis Lederer), who lives in New York and is eventually inspired to become a spy; and Dr. Karl Kassell (Paul Lukas), a U.S. Navy Reserve officer who heads the city's German Bund and frequently speaks in front of impassioned crowds hoping to bring Nazi ideals to the American government. It's not until the involvement of FBI Agent Ed Renard (Robinson), which occurs near the film's midpoint, that Confessions of a Nazi Spy really picks up steam; he and his team swiftly pick apart the web of German influence by putting together puzzle pieces and wringing confessions out of key suspects. This all happens maybe a little too easily... but hey, it's Hollywood, and the movie's only got 105 minutes to burn.

Smoothing over some of Confessions' rougher stretches are its consistently solid performances. Robinson is in fine form, as usual, and those already mentioned in supporting roles either bring a bit of much-needed naturalism to their respective characters or go over-the-top in an obvious but enjoyable manner. It's a stacked cast indeed, though, and also includes appearances by the likes of George Sanders (Rebecca), Dorothy Tree (The Asphalt Jungle, Grace Stafford (the voice of Woody Woodpecker!), Ward Bond (It's a Wonderful Life, and others. A number of German actors, having fled Hitler's Germany years earlier, even used fake names to protect their family members back home.

Other elements also help this film stand out. First and foremost is music by Max Steiner (uncredited, at his request), which provides a sturdy sonic backdrop and was the first of a whopping 13 scores he composed during a year that also included the excellent Each Dawn I Die and some movie called Gone With the Wind. Future director Don Siegel created the headline scene transitions using optical effects and animation to get the job done. There's also the cinematography, credited to both Sol Polito (The Adventures of Robin Hood) and Ernest Haller (The Maltese Falcon, Mildred Pierce), as well as newsreel-style narration that greatly supports its documentary-like approach to the subject matter.

The end result is, as mentioned earlier, a bit overcrowded and certainly campy at times, but these potential drawbacks don't really diminish the film's overall effectiveness. Confessions of a Nazi Spy was a brave big-studio film to make, so its place as the first of many anti-Nazi productions shouldn't be ignored... and the fact that its subject matter is still relevant nearly 85 years later makes it especially worth watching for everyone, not just fans of Golden Age Hollywood. Warner Archive's new Blu-ray, as expected, doesn't exactly impress in the bonus features department but is virtually flawless from an audio-video standpoint, working from a sterling new 4K-sourced restoration of the original nitrate camera negative that makes this black-and-white beauty look a few decades younger than it actually is.

NOTE: As with previous home video releases, the cut seen here is a modified version re-released to theaters in 1940 after the film's initially poor box office performance. The only difference between this and the theatrical cut -- if it even exists anymore -- is the addition of a short montage near the end that provides a few wartime "updates".

Confessions of a Nazi Spy Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Sourced from a brand-new 4K scan of the original nitrate camera negative, Warner Archive's exclusive restoration of Confessions of a Nazi Spy is every bit as good as such a description implies. Like just about every other five-star effort in their growing pool of top-tier Blu-rays, this is another pleasing and consistent presentation that's extremely clean but still retains a film-like texture with lots of silvery grain left intact. Contrast and shadow detail are nicely refined with no signs of artifacts or banding on even some of the harshest gradients -- a testament to the boutique label's encoding skill, which almost never falters. The film's naturalistic atmosphere has been replicated nicely, and the excellent level of fine detail achieved here really intensifies its most emotionally effective moments. If you're at all familiar with Warner Archive's purist-friendly approach to nitrate-era film releases (and by now, you should be), there's no way you'll be disappointed with how brightly Confessions of a Nazi Spy shines on this sterling Blu-ray presentation.

Confessions of a Nazi Spy Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

This restored DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track, obtained from the earliest-generation optical source, faithfully preserves Confessions of a Nazi Spy's original one-channel roots, balancing mostly crisp dialogue with well-placed background effects and a reasonably strong dynamic range given the source material's age and format. There's plenty of room left over for Max Steiner's orchestral score, which punctuates a number of scenes in grand fashion. Though it rarely has any excuse to stretch its sonic legs, this mono track sounds full and robust for a film fast approaching its 85th birthday, with only trace age-related elements standing in the way of an absolutely trouble-free presentation.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included during the main feature only, but not the extras. This is pretty annoying since the DVD edition that most of them were sourced from did in fact have optional subtitles available. It's perhaps my only ongoing hang-up regarding Warner Archive releases, and one that I hope is addressed at some point.

Confessions of a Nazi Spy Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc set ships in a standard keepcase with vintage poster-themed cover artwork and no inserts of any kind. Bonus features are mostly carried over from previous home video editions.

• Back Story (Slide Show) - Not mentioned on the packaging, this on-screen text essay, divided into 12 pages, features a bit of background info about Confessions of a Nazi Spy and reprints Harry Warner's 1941 testimony before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee regarding alleged propaganda in Hollywood films.

• Meet the Fleet (20:21) - This 1940 Technicolor short, directed by B. Reeves Eason, tells the story of three Navy recruits; one is played by George Reeves more than a decade before his Superman fame. It's more than a little campy and clearly a puff piece to drive the war effort but is still fun from a historical perspective.

• Theatrical Trailer (3:21) - A much rougher version can be seen here (volume warning!).

Confessions of a Nazi Spy Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Anatole Litvak's Confessions of a Nazi Spy is a potent and historically important political thriller best known as the first anti-Nazi film released by a major studio -- a dangerous production to make, for sure. It's not exactly an air-tight affair but has several key highlights, including a solid cast, terrific music, and of course the forward-thinking central theme. Warner Archive obliges with another excellent Blu-ray sourced from a top-tier restoration with crisp lossless audio and a few minor DVD-era bonus features. Recommended to established fans and newcomers alike.