Lancer Spy (20th Century-Fox). Versatile Gregory Ratoff, who does not speak very good English but knows a great deal about making films, has a four-way contract with 20th Century-Fox to act, write, direct, supervise. Lancer Spy finds him a director for the first time, and he has contrived a swift, suspense-crammed screen translation of Marthe McKenna's thriller.
To link the World War background of Lancer Spy to the present, Director Ratoff employs the flashback technique—what they like to refer to as "narratage" on the Fox lot. The chief character is portrayed by George Sanders, whose rapid rise since his first screen role in last year's Lloyds of London is noted in an epilog to the film. In an outstanding job of dual characterization Sanders undertakes the roles of Lieut. Michael Bruce of the British Navy and Baron Kurt von Rohbach, a German prisoner to whom he bears a remarkable resemblance.
Lieut. Bruce schools himself in von Rohbach's mannerisms and background, undertakes an espionage assignment, impersonating the Baron. In Germany he becomes a national hero, arouses the jealousy and suspicion of blustery Colonel Hollevy (Sig Rumann) and his aide Major Gruning (Peter Lorre). Their efforts to trap him with the charms of a dancer (Dolores Del Rio) fail when General von Memhardi (Maurice Moscovitch) dies of a heart attack as he is about to appoint Bruce his liaison officer. Bruce steals plans for a planned military "push" from Memhardi's files escapes through Switzerland after an eventful flight through Germany, enables the Allies to attack first, turning the tide ot the War.
Gregory Ratoff has tried directing before but he is better known as a character actor with a dialect as thick and savory as Russian borscht. He also writes frequently for the screen (most recent cinemas: Cafe Metropole, You Can't Have Everything), ha. produced for the stage (The Kibitzer, Candlelight). Born in Samara, Russia, in 1897, he played in Russian touring companies until the World War, served on the Turkish border, fled with the White Army in 1918. While playing opposite Eugenie Leontovich (now Mrs. Ratoff) in Berlin, he was spotted by J. J. Schubert who hired them both, played them in no weeks of Blossom Time. David O. Selznick brought Ratoff to Hollywood. Year ago, when Ratoff got his final U. S. citizenship papers in Manhattan, he set up drinks for the courthouse press.
Stage Door (RKO Radio). Season ago, George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber spaced out a few antiquated notions about Hollywood with some of their niftiest interstices, used Manhattan's Rehearsal Club (53rd Street theatrical boarding house) for a locale, scored a Broadway success with the play Stage Door, with Margaret Sullavan, lured back from cinema, in tl lead Tolerant Hollywood backed it, bought the screen rights, let it run until Actress Sullavan (Mrs. Leland Hayward) was about to have her baby. Finding no other Hollywood actress available for the lead, the producers shut the play down early this year.