The Adventures of Tartu
Encyclopedia
The Adventures of Tartu (American title: Sabotage Agent) is a 1943 British Second World War
spy film
starring Robert Donat
.
. Fluent in Romanian and German and having studied chemical engineering, he is parachuted into Romania to assume the identity of Captain Jan Tartu, a member of the fascist
Iron Guard
. He makes his way to Czechoslovakia to steal the formula of a new Nazi poison gas and sabotage the factory where it is being manufactured.
However, his contact is arrested before he can arrange for a job in the factory. Tartu is assigned work as a foreman at a munitions plant instead. Among the other occupants of the house in which he resides are his landlady Anna Palacek (Phyllis Morris), her daughter Paula (Glynis Johns
), who works in the plant, German Inspector Otto Vogel (Walter Rilla
), and lovely Maruschka Lanova (Valerie Hobson
), who makes herself popular with the German occupiers, especially Vogel and the local commandant.
Tartu gains Paula's confidence by providing her with an alibi after she shoots a German officer. He asks her for help contacting the Czech underground
and is surprised to learn that Maruschka is one of them. She in turn contacts Dr. Novotny (Martin Miller), the leader of the local resistance group. Though Maruschka trusts Tartu, Novotny is more cautious.
When Paula is detected attempting to commit sabotage
at the factory, she whispers to Tartu to denounce her to deflect suspicion away from him. She is then summarily shot. This, along with the death of Tartu's contact, causes the underground to believe that he is a Nazi agent and break off contact. Fortunately, Tartu is transferred to the gas plant without their help.
He goes to work for Dr. Willendorf (Percy Walsh
), the head of the operation. However, he is dismayed to learn that the first shipment is due to leave the factory the next night. Desperate, he pretends to get drunk in a bar and blurts out that he knows the names of Czech resistance members who will be arrested soon, then staggers out into the dark street. As he had hoped, he is abducted by the underground. With a great deal of effort, he finally convinces them they are on the same side. He manufactures small bombs that, in the right places, are enough to demolish the plant.
The next day, he goes to work. Though his cover is blown soon afterwards, he manages to plant the bombs and escape from the heavily-guarded plant, which blows up as he drives off. Then, he, Maruschka, and a pilot steal a German airplane and fly away.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
spy film
Spy film
The spy film genre deals with the subject of fictional espionage, either in a realistic way or as a basis for fantasy . Many novels in the spy fiction genre have been adapted as films, including works by John Buchan, John Le Carré, Ian Fleming and Len Deighton...
starring Robert Donat
Robert Donat
Robert Donat was an English film and stage actor. He is best-known for his roles in Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps and Goodbye, Mr...
.
Plot
British Captain Terence Stevenson (Robert Donat) accepts an assignment even more dangerous than his everyday job of defusing unexploded bombsBomb disposal
Bomb disposal is the process by which hazardous explosive devices are rendered safe. Bomb disposal is an all encompassing term to describe the separate, but interrelated functions in the following fields:*Military:...
. Fluent in Romanian and German and having studied chemical engineering, he is parachuted into Romania to assume the identity of Captain Jan Tartu, a member of the fascist
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
Iron Guard
Iron Guard
The Iron Guard is the name most commonly given to a far-right movement and political party in Romania in the period from 1927 into the early part of World War II. The Iron Guard was ultra-nationalist, fascist, anti-communist, and promoted the Orthodox Christian faith...
. He makes his way to Czechoslovakia to steal the formula of a new Nazi poison gas and sabotage the factory where it is being manufactured.
However, his contact is arrested before he can arrange for a job in the factory. Tartu is assigned work as a foreman at a munitions plant instead. Among the other occupants of the house in which he resides are his landlady Anna Palacek (Phyllis Morris), her daughter Paula (Glynis Johns
Glynis Johns
Glynis Johns is a South African-born Welsh stage and film actress, dancer, pianist and singer . With a career spanning seven decades, Johns is often cited as the "complete actress", who happens to be a trained pianist and singer...
), who works in the plant, German Inspector Otto Vogel (Walter Rilla
Walter Rilla
Walter Rilla was a German film actor. He appeared in over 130 films between 1922 and 1977. He was born in Neunkirchen, Germany and died in Rosenheim, Germany.-Selected filmography:...
), and lovely Maruschka Lanova (Valerie Hobson
Valerie Hobson
Valerie Hobson was a British actress who appeared in a number of British films during the 1940s and 1950s...
), who makes herself popular with the German occupiers, especially Vogel and the local commandant.
Tartu gains Paula's confidence by providing her with an alibi after she shoots a German officer. He asks her for help contacting the Czech underground
Czech resistance to Nazi occupation
Czech resistance to German Nazi occupation during World War II is a scarcely documented subject, by and large a result of little formal resistance and an effective German policy that deterred acts of resistance or annihilated organizations of resistance...
and is surprised to learn that Maruschka is one of them. She in turn contacts Dr. Novotny (Martin Miller), the leader of the local resistance group. Though Maruschka trusts Tartu, Novotny is more cautious.
When Paula is detected attempting to commit sabotage
Sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...
at the factory, she whispers to Tartu to denounce her to deflect suspicion away from him. She is then summarily shot. This, along with the death of Tartu's contact, causes the underground to believe that he is a Nazi agent and break off contact. Fortunately, Tartu is transferred to the gas plant without their help.
He goes to work for Dr. Willendorf (Percy Walsh
Percy Walsh
Percy Walsh was a British stage and film actor. His stage work included appearing in the London premieres of R.C.Sherriff's Journey's End and Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None and Appointment with Death .-Partial filmography:*The Diplomatic Lover * Dirty Work * Admirals All...
), the head of the operation. However, he is dismayed to learn that the first shipment is due to leave the factory the next night. Desperate, he pretends to get drunk in a bar and blurts out that he knows the names of Czech resistance members who will be arrested soon, then staggers out into the dark street. As he had hoped, he is abducted by the underground. With a great deal of effort, he finally convinces them they are on the same side. He manufactures small bombs that, in the right places, are enough to demolish the plant.
The next day, he goes to work. Though his cover is blown soon afterwards, he manages to plant the bombs and escape from the heavily-guarded plant, which blows up as he drives off. Then, he, Maruschka, and a pilot steal a German airplane and fly away.
Cast
- Robert DonatRobert DonatRobert Donat was an English film and stage actor. He is best-known for his roles in Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps and Goodbye, Mr...
as Captain Terence Stevenson - Valerie HobsonValerie HobsonValerie Hobson was a British actress who appeared in a number of British films during the 1940s and 1950s...
as Maruschka Lanova - Walter RillaWalter RillaWalter Rilla was a German film actor. He appeared in over 130 films between 1922 and 1977. He was born in Neunkirchen, Germany and died in Rosenheim, Germany.-Selected filmography:...
as Inspector Otto Vogel - Glynis JohnsGlynis JohnsGlynis Johns is a South African-born Welsh stage and film actress, dancer, pianist and singer . With a career spanning seven decades, Johns is often cited as the "complete actress", who happens to be a trained pianist and singer...
as Paula Palacek - Phyllis Morris as Anna Palacek
- Martin Miller as Dr. Novotny
- Anthony Eustrel as German Officer
- Percy WalshPercy WalshPercy Walsh was a British stage and film actor. His stage work included appearing in the London premieres of R.C.Sherriff's Journey's End and Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None and Appointment with Death .-Partial filmography:*The Diplomatic Lover * Dirty Work * Admirals All...
as Dr. Willendorf - Mabel Terry-LewisMabel Terry-LewisMabel Gwynedd Terry-Lewis was a British actress and a member of the Terry-Gielgud dynasty of actors of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries....
(credited as Mabel Terry Lewis) as Mrs. Stevenson