Capital Celluloid 2024 — Day 316: Tue Nov 19

The Adventures of Tartu (Bucquet, 1943): BFI Southbank,  NFT1, 6.15pm


This 35mm presentation is part of the 'Projecting the Archive' strand at BFI Southbank and will feature an introduction by Jade Evans, AHRC REACH PhD student.

BFI introduction:
Robert Donat’s spirited performance as a British officer sent to foil a German chemical weapons plot enlivens this effective spy drama. Disguised as Romanian dandy Jan Tartu, Captain Terence Stevenson seeks the help of the local underground, falling for Hobson’s glamorous female spy along the way. Donat attacks his dual role with gusto, while Hobson makes a resourceful Mata Hari – garbed in gorgeous Rahvis costumes – while Glynis Johns elicits sympathy as a plucky young resistance fighter. The fanciful plot allows for impressive sets, from London during the Blitz to the futuristic interiors of a chemical plant, which provide the backdrop to the film’s thrilling climax.

Here (and above) is the trailer.

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