Here, Nazi silliness makes "Hogan's Heroes" look serious. Two Jewish cops (Milton Berle and Joe Kirk) are assigned to the German Embassy in New York, an assignment I wouldn't wish on a Communist. The head of the embassy is the very imperious, very rigid Otto Preminger who verbally assaults Berle the moment he makes his introduction. Calling him pretty much everything but his last name, he even questions him on his European heritage, giving the hint that he's going to place Berle's remaining relatives in a concentration camp. When Berle meets Preminger's lovely American born wife (Joan Bennett), he learns that this fate has already befell her father thanks to Preminger. Berle finds it difficult to become friendly with the staff until compliments towards a mostly German speaking maid (Poldi Dur) break through her seemingly cold demeanor towards him, showing that underneath the fear of showing one's own identity past Nazi ambitions dominated those forced to work for people they most likely secretly despised.
Of course, it's only a matter of time before one of the Nazi's is killed, possibly by one of the people seemingly closest to them. Berle must put the pieces together to expose the killer, no matter how well deserved the murder was. The film is told in flashback aboard a navy ship where Berle explains how he met German Baron Carl Esmond, accused by Preminger of being part Jewish and threatened with entertainment in a concentration camp. Probably timely in 1943, it seems much dated now, even if the propaganda factor is of interest historically. Berle doesn't seem much "the cop type", and Bennett is pretty much wasted, even in a top-billed assignment. Preminger overacts with such obvious hatred towards the politics of the Nazi's. In fact, his performance seems to have influenced actor Leon Askin who played the German General on "Hogan's Heroes".
It's hard to either like or dislike this film, because it is clear that its motivations were to show that Nazi influence was felt locally. The Manhattan community of Yorkville (the location of Gracie Mansion) is mentioned as being particularly known as an area where members of the Nazi party living abroad lived. In a documentary on the movie "All Through the Night", this is also mentioned, and it is clear that several of the scenes in that film (dealing with a Nazi spy ring) in New York take place there as well. So I have to call this anti-Nazi comedy (one of many) historically important rather than an entertainment because it gives the message that "Be quiet. The enemy might be listening", a warning that still exists today.
Of course, it's only a matter of time before one of the Nazi's is killed, possibly by one of the people seemingly closest to them. Berle must put the pieces together to expose the killer, no matter how well deserved the murder was. The film is told in flashback aboard a navy ship where Berle explains how he met German Baron Carl Esmond, accused by Preminger of being part Jewish and threatened with entertainment in a concentration camp. Probably timely in 1943, it seems much dated now, even if the propaganda factor is of interest historically. Berle doesn't seem much "the cop type", and Bennett is pretty much wasted, even in a top-billed assignment. Preminger overacts with such obvious hatred towards the politics of the Nazi's. In fact, his performance seems to have influenced actor Leon Askin who played the German General on "Hogan's Heroes".
It's hard to either like or dislike this film, because it is clear that its motivations were to show that Nazi influence was felt locally. The Manhattan community of Yorkville (the location of Gracie Mansion) is mentioned as being particularly known as an area where members of the Nazi party living abroad lived. In a documentary on the movie "All Through the Night", this is also mentioned, and it is clear that several of the scenes in that film (dealing with a Nazi spy ring) in New York take place there as well. So I have to call this anti-Nazi comedy (one of many) historically important rather than an entertainment because it gives the message that "Be quiet. The enemy might be listening", a warning that still exists today.