22 Replies to “Contraband (1940) – Full Film”

  2. Conrad Veidt (1893 – 1943) appeared in more than 100 movies in his lifetime beginning with silent movies in Germany including the first movie to ever portray homosexuality sympathetically in 1919. During the 1920s in Germany he was one of the best paid and most popular actors and had no trouble moving smoothly into talkies. In 1933 when the Nazis came to power he and his Jewish wife fled to the UK where he resumed his career. In 1941 he went to the USA after donating his life savings to the British government to help finance the war effort. Realising that he would be typecast as a Nazi character in the USA – notably as Major Strasser in Casablanca (1942) – he insisted that his contract include the provision that all such characters should be villains.

  5. Great fun, this film — and Conrad Veidt is wunderbar, as always. Too bad he and Valerie Hobson only made two films. Great chemistry. The Spy in Black is also great – but (spoiler alert) not so great an ending for Conrad Veidt at the end. He and Hobson reportedly got along famously in person as well. Their ease with each other makes their scenes scintillate. Thanks for this! P.S. I vote for restoration of this film………

  6. Oh – I had never seen this film before – what a fantastic evening I have had!  Thanks for uploading and I wish the BFI would restore this one as they have done with 'The Spy In Black'.

  7. I have never cared for Valerie Hobson. She's too stiff and stately for my taste, except in the two movies she made with Conrad Veidt: Contraband and The Spy in Black. He somehow brought out something playful and sexy in her. Their chemistry was so intense that the fact that he was literally twice her age ( 46 to her 23) doesn't matter . Contraband has been described as " a cross between a Hitchcock thriller and a screwball comedy – with bondage." which just about sums it up. Notice that when Veidt threatens to clap Hobson in irons, she smirks, as though she might find that a turn-on ; – ) .

  8. This has been described as " a cross between a Hitchcock thriller and a romantic comedy – with bondage". There's something in that, all right. When the Captain threatens to clap his difficult passenger in irons if she doesn't obey him, she smirks as though she might find that a turn on. I don't usually care for Valerie Hobson, who is too stiff and stately for my taste, except in the two films she made with Conrad Veidt. ( The other is The Spy In Black.) Working with him seemed to liberate something inside her. They had so much chemistry together that the fact that he was literally twice her age – 46 to her 23 – didn't matter.

  10. Wouldn't it have been faster to send the message via airmail or encrypted cable? Of course, then we wouldn't have needed Veidt and all those great character actors. Great movie.

  12. A Fun Film. Good plot; good acting, good World War 2 action, wonderful oerformance by Conrad Veidt and a lot of tongue in cheek humor too. Thanks for the upload. Enjoy, Everyone. I did. L-L

  17. Pennant H11 was designated to a submarine, not a surface vessel.  H.M.S. Leopard, pennant F14 was an anti aircraft frigate.  Strange how film makers get away with so much poetic licence.

  18. Oh yes, the floor shows were hardly Busby Berkeley, very funny to a classic movie watcher.  Be sure to watch the scene where the fight begins.  The ladies in the band stand up and their legs stay sitting with legs crossed! I didn't notice it until I had watched it the third time.

  19. Great film, way misunderstood! It only received a 1.5 star rating by TCM.  Valerie Hobson is so elegant and wonderfully convincing as Mrs. Sorenson .  A thoroughly entertaining performance by Hay Petrie, as Axel/Eric Skold!  If you ever worked in a restaurant owned by a chef, you get twice the enjoyment!  The musical score was amazing for this production.  The only problem with the film is the quality of the filming.  However, it was filmed during the war and very likely a black-out. I'd give the film 3.5 stars.  Each time I watch it I find more to enjoy.  Very clever.  Thank you so much for the posting!

  20. Delighted to see bits from this film with Conrad Veidt and Valerie Hobson.  Althought I have a VHS of it, it's nice to view a bit on youtube.  What I like so much about this film is the bits of humor that were in it, especially with Veidt.  It's a shame the world lost this actor in 1943 from a heart attack (hereditary), who knows what he could have accomplished after Casablanca. 

  22. Great stuff…fun to see Conrad "Major Strasser" Veidt as a good guy. Just watched Night Train to Munich with Paul "Victor Lazlos" Henreid as a Nazi. Thanks for the upload!

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