ESCAPE

Director: Mervyn LeRoy

Stars: Norma Shearer, Robert Taylor, Conrad Veidt, Nazimova, Philip Dorn

Year: 1940

Rating: N/R

An intriguing melodrama set in Germany during early World War II, Escape stars Robert Taylor as American Mark Preysing, who comes to Germany to search for his mother when a routine trip to sell some land results in her disappearance. The film starts off showing Preysing's mother, actress Emmy Ritter (Nazimova), in a concentration camp where she is being held and tortured for being a traitor to her country. Near death, the actress finally gains the sympathies of Dr. Ditten (Philip Dorn), the man charged with keeping Ritter alive until her execution; as a child he was a huge fan of the actress, and agrees to help her write a letter that he will make sure gets to her son upon her death.

Meanwhile, Mark arrives and immediately learns he is on the Nazi's radar; every question he has about his mother, or about what happened to her, is met with suspicion or downright intolerance. No matter what, he can't get any answers - and in fact is greatly discouraged from even asking questions, to the point of being vaguely threatened and told to leave town. This only spurs Mark on further, and soon he meets The Countess Ruby von Treck (Norma Shearer), an American-born widow who is also a fan of Emmy Ritter, and soon sympathizes with Mark's plight. Complicating matters, though, is the fact that the Countess is being romanced/befriended by a high-ranking Nazi official, General Kurt von Kolb (Conrad Veidt) ... who, the Countess soon learns, is the man behind the order to have Emmy Ritter executed.

Norma Shearer, after years of being the Queen of MGM, here actually plays a supporting role - but, as always, plays it to the hilt. The suspense builds terrifically here, as Mark gets closer and closer to finding out his mother's fate even as the threat of death looms ever closer. It's pure melodrama with a great cast, in a film that - for its time - very much pushed the envelope, as it was made during the war in Europe, and with many European actors (some of whom, supposedly, used stage names instead of their own in the credits). Filmed with two endings, so far I've only been able to see one - but it was, for me, an ending that fitted and worked with the film, making it an enjoyable treat to watch. I was never much of a Robert Taylor fan, but seeing this movie changed my mind a bit ... and Norma Shearer, well I was hooked on her long before the Countess. Escape is (pun intended) pure escapist fare, full of suspense and intrigue. Maybe a bit over the dramatic top, sure - but no less enjoyable for being so. *** - Reel Cool