I wonder if Dr. Tobel, in retrospect, might have said to Sherlock Holmes, "Yes, Mr. Holmes, you were absolutely correct. I SHOULD have entrusted the plans for my bombsight with the Britich government instead of getting my three colleagues 'offed' by Prof. Moriarty as a result of my cockamamie and vainglorious plan to protect the bombsight"?
I'm with you Attillio, I always thought Dr. Tobel's carelessness was almost criminal. However very clever people are sometimes street stupid. cheers JudyMoon When I want your opinion I'll beat it out of you
As I watched Dr. Tobel and his adoring girlfriend standing there together at the air field, and looking oh-so-blithe and even, oh-so-insouciant, during the film's upbeat conclusion, I wonder if the pair of them were so absolutely cheerful and blase at the sad funerals for Tobel's three colleagues, who "bought the ranch" as a result of the "good" doctor's "ingenious" plan? (That is, if the happy twosome even BOTHERED to show up at the funeral ceremonies for those three senselessly murdered men?)
Yes - I realize this is an old post, but I just noticed it after recently watching the film again...
I remember reading somewhere that in movies where heroes, or semi-heroes do dumb things, like Dr. Tobel (sp) did, that they have to suffer, just a bit. They lose a friend, their dog dies, SOMEthing! I've noticed it in some Hitchcock films, too (especially when he had to change the endings. Then I realized that this does happen in this film.
Tobel is cloncked on the head, and then later tortured within an inch of his life (passing out several times) before this film is over.
I know that isn't the same thing as dying, but at least it is something!
I saw the film about 3 hours before I wrote my post. He was screaming yes but I did not see any torture.All I saw was him being pulled up and down on the bed!
Dude-that was torture. The Hayes office STILL HAD RULES in the 1940's about what could and could not be shown in the movies. Movies did not have G, PG, PG17, R and X ratings like they do now -- everything had to be showable for ALL audiences. And they DO MENTION in the movie that he passed out from the torturing more than once. I'd say that was pretty severe suffering.
Should Tobel feel bad for the scientists who died? Yes, he should, but did he suffer to protect his formula? Also yes! Very much so! This was wartime. There was a lot of suffering for the cause going on.
So every film had to be the equivalent of a U certificate? Well I never knew that! I always assumed that people back then were more easily scared and revolted than todays desensitized crowd.