Operator 13

US (1934): Drama/Romance

Gail Loveless (Marion Davies), a spy known as "Operator 13" working for the North during the Civil War, posing as a Confederate woman named Anne Claybourne, meets and falls in love with Confederate Captain Jack Galliard (Gary Cooper.) Dusguised as an mixed-race maid at a Confedarate military ball, she learns and relays secrets to the Union forces that are devastating to the Rebel cause. Assigned to the case to track down and kill the spy maid, Galliard learns she is also the woman he loves, but proceeds with his assignment. He captures her but is in danger of being captured himself as Federal forces are approaching. Gail/Anne saves him and they part to wait until peace comes to resume their romance. (Les Adams, IMDb)

If it weren't for George Folsey's extraordinary cinematography, this would be just another B film. The story is totally implausible and the film's structure is rather disjointed. Competent work from Cooper and Davies (if you can buy her in black face pretending to be a slave, you can buy just about anything). What is mesmerizing and what keeps one glued to the screen are the images. MGM had suddenly achieved its "look" in 1934. Compare to some of its 1933 releases when the photography was still "flat." Here there is a remarkable use of light and shadow, especially in the use of silhouettes. The soft focus in one early dawn river scene is breathtaking. Why MGM and Mr. Folsey would give this such class A treatment for visuals but betray it in other departments is an enigma. Whatever, it's an entertaining and odd little film whose cinematography makes it a must-see! (Arne Andersen, IMDb>)

· Cinematography 1934: George J. Folsey

1 nomination