Invisible Agent (1942)

Director:

Edwin L. Marin

Writers:

H.G. Wells (novel)
Curt Siodmak (writer)

Release Date:

7 August 1942 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller | War

Plot:

The Invisible Man's grandson uses his secret formula to spy on Nazi Germany in this comedy-thriller.

Plot Keywords:

Nazi | Spy | Invisible Man | Pearl Harbor | Germany

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Ilona Massey	...	Maria Sorenson
Jon Hall	...	Frank Raymond
Peter Lorre	...	Baron Ikito
Cedric Hardwicke	...	Conrad Stauffer
J. Edward Bromberg	...	Karl Heiser
Albert Bassermann	...	Arnold Schmidt (as Albert Basserman)
John Litel	...	John Gardiner
Holmes Herbert	...	Sir Alfred Spencer
Keye Luke	...	Surgeon
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sven Hugo Borg	...	German Captain (uncredited)
Paul Bryar	...	German Soldier (uncredited)
John Burton	...	R.A.F. Flier (uncredited)
Lane Chandler	...	German Sentry (uncredited)
Mabel Colcord	...	Gretl, the Maid (uncredited)
James Craven	...	Ship's Radio Man (uncredited)
Donald Curtis	...	German Sentry (uncredited)
Leslie Denison	...	British Radio Operator (uncredited)
Eddie Dunn	...	S.S. Prison Guard (uncredited)
Martin Faust	...	Nazi Assassin (uncredited)
Charles Flynn	...	German Soldier (uncredited)
Lee Tung Foo	...	Gen. Chin Lee (uncredited)
Henry Guttman	...	Storm Trooper (uncredited)
Bobby Hale	...	English Tommy (uncredited)
John Holland	...	Spencer's secretary (uncredited)
Patrick McVey	...	German (uncredited)
John Merton	...	German Soldier (uncredited)
Alberto Morin	...	Free Frenchman (uncredited)
Ferdinand Munier	...	Bartender (uncredited)
William Pagan	...	Storm Trooper (uncredited)
Eddie Parker	...	Strongarm Thug (uncredited)
Charles Regan	...	Ordnance Car Driver (uncredited)
Otto Reichow	...	Gestapo Agent (uncredited)
William Ruhl	...	Gestapo Agent (uncredited)
Ferdinand Schumann-Heink	...	German Telephone Operator (uncredited)
Hans Schumm	...	SS Man (uncredited)
Wallace Scott	...	English Tommy (uncredited)
Lee Shumway	...	Brigadier (uncredited)
Milburn Stone	...	German Sergeant (uncredited)
Walter Tetley	...	Newsboy (uncredited)
Philip Van Zandt	...	SS Man (uncredited)
Michael Visaroff	...	Verichen (uncredited)
Phil Warren	...	German Soldier (uncredited)
Pat West	...	German Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Matt Willis	...	Nazi Assassin (uncredited)
Duke York	...	German Sentry (uncredited)
Wolfgang Zilzer	...	Von Porten (uncredited)
Victor Zimmerman	...	Storm Trooper (uncredited)
Henry Zynda	...	Col. Kelenski (uncredited)

Directed by
Edwin L. Marin

Writing credits
H.G. Wells		(novel "The Invisible Man")
Curt Siodmak		(writer) (as Curtis Siodmak)

Produced by
Frank Lloyd	....	producer
George Waggner	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Hans J. Salter		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Lester White		(as Les White)

Film Editing by
Edward Curtiss

Art Direction by
Jack Otterson

Set Decoration by
Russell A. Gausman		(as R.A. Gausman)

Costume Design by
Vera West

Art Department
Robert F. Boyle	....	associate art director (as Robert Boyle)
Edward R. Robinson	....	associate set decorator

Sound Department
Bernard B. Brown	....	sound director
William Hedgcock	....	sound technician

Special Effects by
John P. Fulton	....	special photographic effects
David S. Horsley	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Roswell A. Hoffmann	....	optical cinematography

Stunts
Eddie Parker	....	stunts (uncredited)

Music Department
Hans J. Salter	....	musical director (as H.J. Salter)
Richard Hageman	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Frank Skinner	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Frank Lloyd Productions (for)
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1942) (USA) (theatrical)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (199?) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

81 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Sweden:15

Company:

Frank Lloyd Productions

Trivia:

In the opening scene, a newsboy shouts the headline, "Extra! Oregon State Invites Duke to Rose Bowl." On January 1, 1942 (the year the movie was released), Oregon State defeated Duke University in the Rose Bowl, by a score of 20-16. The 1942 audience therefore would recognize the opening scenes in the movie as taking place in the previous year, just before the Pearl Harbor attack.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Wires are plainly visible on a number of objects, particularly the chicken leg and the key.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Newsboy: Extra! "Oregon State Invites Duke to Rose Bowl." Extra! Late edition! "Oregon State Invites Duke to Rose Bowl."

Movie Connections:

Featured in Now You See Him: The Invisible Man Revealed! (2000) (V)

Invisible Agent (1942) **1/2

Of the "Invisible Man" series made by Universal, I was only familiar with the first two (both of which I'll rewatch again presently) - the James Whale original being one of my all-time favorites.

Ever since it was released as part of the "Legacy" set, I had mostly read negative opinions about this film - and even Leonard Maltin gives it a pretty low rating. However, I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed it! True, the leads are rather bland (why on earth is Ilona Massey credited before Jon Hall?!) but, then, INVISIBLE AGENT has a formidable trio of villains - Peter Lorre, Sir Cedric Hardwicke and J. Edward Bromberg - going for it (who even make Curt Siodmak's script sound better than it is). Besides, I must say that I'm a sucker for both WWII and espionage movies, so that's a big plus as well...which, I guess, means that it isn't really a horror film and that The Invisible Man is the hero! Oh well, you can't have everything!

John P. Fulton's still-impressive special effects (exposed a bit here by the extra clarity of the DVD transfer) deliver the goods and, all in all, the film made me keen to get to the remaining titles in the series.