Hedy Lamarr

COMRADE X

MGM, 1940.  Directed by King Vidor.  Camera:  Joseph Ruttenberg.  With Clark Gable, Hedy Lamarr, Oscar Homolka, Felix Bressart, Eve Arden, Sig Ruman, Natasha Lytess, Vladimir Sokoloff, Edgar Barrier, Georges Renavent, Mikhail Rasumny, Alexander Asro, Lici Balla, Leon Belasco, John Bleifer, Matthew Boulton, Sam Harris, Ilia Khmara, Keye Luke, Michael Mark, Alex Melesh, Manuel Paris, John Piccori, Shimen Ruskin.

Click for larger image

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McKinley B. Thompson, a newspaper reporter for the Texas Bugle, masquerades as an irresponsible roué in order to hide his identity as Comrade X, the mysterious reporter who is sending embarrassing stories about Russia to a big newspaper syndicate.  Thompson learns that Vanya, the valet in his Moscow hotel, has discovered his secret identity when the old man demands that the reporter take his daughter out of the country before she is shot as a Communist.

Under threat of exposure, Thompson agrees to meet Vanya's daughter, a streetcar conductor who uses the name Theodore because only men are allowed to drive streetcars.  Thompson tries to convince the girl to go to America with him to spread the gospel of Communism, but she stubbornly refuses to leave until she has had time to investigate him.

Later that night, Theodore appears on Thompson's doorstep and announces that they will be married because that is the only way they can leave the country to spread Communism.  After returning from their perfunctory wedding ceremony, Thompson is arrested with his bride by police commissar Vasiliev and questioned about the secret camera of Comrade X that was found in Vanya's room.  Sentenced to death by the state, Thompson offers to expose the head of the counter-revolution in exchange for his life and those of Vanya and Theodore.

Taken to the commissar's office, Thompson is shocked to find not Vasiliev but Michael Bastakoff, the new commissar and the former leader of the resurgents.  Tricking Bastakoff by offering to turn over his evidence, Thompson seizes the opportunity to escape with Vanya and Theodore.  The threesome steal a Russian general's tank complete with the general and, followed by the Soviet army, rumble their way to freedom across the Rumanian border.

American Film Institute Catalog