Released: 1931

Dir.: Josef von Sternberg

Vienna. On a rainy night in 1915, a prostitute committed suicide and her body is being removed from her apartment. With neighbors looking on, Marie Kolerer (Marlene Dietrich), a fellow lady of the evening, replies to a snarky remark about her facing the same fate. Marie replies, ‘No I am not. I am not afraid of life. Although I am not afraid of death, either.’

Marie’s remark is overheard by the Chief of the Austrian Secret Service (Gustav von Seyffertitz). The Chief approaches Marie. Without realizing it at first, the process of Marie’s recruitment into the Secret Service begins.

Marie proves to be smart and resourceful, and her experience with men makes her an ideal candidate for the world of espionage in war torn Europe. Officers come from wealth and privilege, just the kind of things a woman of Marie’s background can exploit. Agent X-27 is born.

X-27’s first assignment is to expose a traitor working close to the Austrian Army’s Chief of Staff. A one, Colonel von Hindau (Warner Oland), has been sharing vital military secrets with the Russians, causing terrible losses for Austria.

Agent X-27 brilliantly exposes Hindau, however she attracts the attention of one of Russia’s top agents, Colonel Kranau (Victor McLaglen). A game of cat and mouse begins to play out between X-27 and Kranau. X-27, of course, being the cat. But does X-27 have the experience to outwit the veteran Russian spy?

One of the wonderful things about Dishonored is that it allows Marie’s inexperience as a spy show. She is smart, beyond her sexual prowess, but she still lacks the experience of the espionage trade that would have helped her greatly.

Now, if you want to look at this story as a ‘battle of the sexes’, I think Marie is more than an equal to Kranau, or any of the other men she encounters. Sure, she uses sex against men, it’s natures fundamental weakness for her to exploit. But she is full of surprises.

X-27 devises a brilliant method of writing out code as sheet music, unfortunately her only copy is destroyed before she can deliver it to headquarters. Upon her return to Austria, in a terrific, crazy, exhilarating single take scene, Marie pounds out the notes on a piano from memory. This turns the tide of battle.

Dishonored is just as much about style as it is about espionage. The film tends to get lost among the six other collaborations between director von Sternberg and Marlene Dietrich. It may not be as stylish as The Scarlet Empress or Blonde Venus, but Dishonored does have a unique look all the same.

The halls of the secret service headquarters are insanely big, and long, of polished marble. The Chief’s office is huge, the walls are a massive map of Austria and western Russia, that only serves to showcase the locations of battle and strategic weak spots. It won’t be until The Sea Hawk in 1941 that features a larger more elaborate office.

The cinematography is equally beautiful. A crucial scene is played out with Kranau entirely in silhouette, with search lights as a backdrop. In 1931, films were fairly static, but clever lighting, and compositions more than make up for this.

One detraction from Dishonored to modern audiences is the slow pacing of the dialogue. This is an early talking picture, and in 1931 actors were still being directed to talk slowly to compensate for the lack of quality in the recording process. However, the dialogue, particularly the verbal sparring between X-27 and Kranau, is fun, sly, and cheeky.

Personally, I find Victor McLaglen miscast in Dishonored. Apparently, Gary Cooper was offered the part of Kranau, but turned it down. Not wanting to work with von Sternberg again. Dietrich deserved a more handsome co-star. Not to knock McLaglen’s talent, he made many fine, legendary films, but he just seems like the guy who comes over to fix your plumbing, and not a dashing enemy spy.

But really, the film belongs to Dietrich. Let’s be honest, that’s why we’re watching. She is a force and makes X-27 live up to her prophetic opening lines, and makes you believe it. The film is often compared to Mata Hari with Greta Garbo, released in 1932. Both films are highly entertaining, and I’ll take a look at the Garbo film in the future, but ultimately, I think Dishonored has the edge. And that edge is Dietrich.

Dishonored is available on DVD and Blu Ray from the Criterion Collection. On DVD from TCM’s Vault Collection, and airs occasionally on TCM.