Though Humphrey Bogart's picture is not as good as "The Maltese Falcon," which it would be very hard to equal, it's definitely a first-class fifth-column picture, and well worth a trip into Boston. Mr. Bogart has at last found his place in movies. The part of a hard-boiled Broadway guy fits him perfectly, and Warner Brothers, who are not usually slow to recognize a good thing when they have it, would do well to keep him in parts like this, instead of making him a bloodthirsty gangster whom everybody is supposed to hate and who dies a well-deserved death at the hands of the police.

In this picture Bogart, though his profession as a big-shot gambler is not the most honorable vocation, is a likeable person who is unjustly accused of murder. With the police hot on his trail, he manages to clear himself, catch a ring of German spies, and acquire a beautiful girl in the bargain. The plot is fast-moving and is aided by a witty and rapid-firing script; sometimes, in fact, the dialogue moves so rapidly that some very clever remarks pass unnoticed by the audience.

All the supporting roles are well played, which in large measure accounts for the success of the picture. Barton Maclane is properly tough. Peter Lorre and Conrad Veidt thoroughly insidious, and Frank McHugh and Edward Brophy carry out their stooge roles to perfection. Kaaren Vernie is not as glamorous as she might be, but her acting is all that could be desired, and beauty is not a requisite in this picture, as the love interest is kept at a minimum. All in all, Mr. Bogart, the director, the script-writers, and the supporting characters have turned out an excellent picture.