Excellent but underrated film

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Most of the things I felt about the film were nicely expressed by the favorable reviewers I read, especially the ones from the U.K.. I remember Deborah Kerr from "the King and I," and sort of remember Trevor Howard from "Mutiny on the Bounty," the excellent 1962 version with Marlon Brando. It was nice to see them much younger in this 1946 film. I agree with the viewers that said this movie was witty, full of surprises and twists and turns and had a beautiful performance from a younger and very beautiful Deborah Kerr. I agreed with the negative criticism of the film that it is a bit long and the plot gets muddled a few times. In its defense, the movie does manage to unmuddle itself the numerous times that it strays from the beaten path. If you like movies that break formulas so much that you can't trust the narration, this is a joy. Actually the narrator tells you in the very beginning of the movie what to expect from the film when he says that he has chosen the wrong place to start his tale and restarts it at a completely different place. Thanks to all the U.K. and other reviewers who filled us in on the many historical and other references in the film.

Quite good - intriguing and amusing. Starts slowly, and without any apparent focus, but gets better and better as it goes on. Initially looks like a weak political-drama, but then evolves into an intriguing spy drama, plus develops a comedic side (in some ways parodying the spy drama genre). After moving slowly in the first half, the second half rollicks along.Solid performance by Deborah Kerr in the lead role. Good support from Trevor Howard. The best comedic moments involve Garry Marsh and Tom Macaulay.

This movie has something for every taste and could fall into several classifications. In addition to the website heading of Drama, Thriller and War it could also be a Comedy, Adventure or even a Film Noir. It is very entertaining and characteristically well done under the Launder-Gilliat banner.I think, though, that it could have a higher rating if it could have decided exactly which genre it should fall under. It is an absorbing picture until, at a very inopportune moment it decides to inject a bit of humor into a scene, thereby killing the mood as well as the tension. I wished it had taken itself seriously as it could have been and excellent WWII spy picture. As is, it is a good enough as a comedy/drama which goes about its business with tongue firmly planted in cheek. Deborah Kerr is the central character as Bridie Quilty, an idealistic Irish lass who wants to work for the IRA. She carries the picture and Trevor Howard along with her. There is also a wonderful cast of supporting actors who boost the proceedings immeasurably, and I wonder if some are from Dublin's Abbey Theatre, so capable are they in their roles. No other complaints, and I would recommend it to film fans who enjoy a potpourri of genres in their movies.

I See a Dark Stranger finds Deborah Kerr as Irish colleen Bridie Quilty trying to get even with the English for all manner of deprivations visited on her people. Unfortunately she's born during World War II and her own government is scrupulously maintaining its neutrality because they recognize a Nazi victory wouldn't be good for them either.Deb's been brought up on tales of the Rebellion of 1916 by her family and her first attempt to join the Irish Republican Army by that time an illegal group meets with a rebuff. She looks up an old IRA fighter whose name Dad's dropped for years and finds he's now a museum curator and a believer in the constitutional and diplomatic solutions for remaining problems with the British. Brefni O'Rourke plays Michael Callaghan the old Irish freedom fighter who tries to disillusion Deborah with no success.She doesn't give up so easily and before long she's really in over her head involved with Nazi spies headed by Raymond Huntley. But she also has a British officer, Trevor Howard, who does convince her in the end that not all the British are Oliver Cromwell while falling for her at the same time.I See A Dark Stranger was well received in its day, but I think it has a problem of varying degree of mood that isn't explained. The film can't seem to make up its mind as to just how light hearted the story should be. It should have come down on one side or the other.Still Deborah makes a spirited Bridie and this film together with Black Narcissus are the ones responsible for her going to Hollywood and a long term and honored career which sad to say was not rewarded with an Oscar except a life time achievement one. Trevor Howard is a stalwart leading man and Tom McCauley and Garry Marsh play a couple of Colonel Blimps in training on the Isle of Man who nearly steal the film.