atlasmb Reviewers seem to have wide range of opinions about "Above Suspicion" and I can understand why.Released in 1943, the film actually portrays action that takes place in 1939. The British, anticipating a Nazi invasion of Poland, are preparing for the inevitable. They ask newlyweds Richard and Frances Myles (Fred McMurray and Joan Crawford) to try to track down the "formula" for a new German secret weapon while on their honeymoon. Because they are newly married, surely they would be above suspicion. Richard is a student at Oxford. He wants to keep his bride in the dark about the danger of their mission, but she sees through his subterfuge and is delighted by the fact they will now be "Spies!"The mission is convoluted and unnecessarily complicated, as if written by Rube Goldberg. As they travel from Dover to Paris to Salzburg, they fumble their way from clue to ambiguous clue, managing to keep their sense of humor. Basil Rathbone and Conrad Veidt plays significant roles in this drama that was called "tongue in cheek" by TCM. It's a fair assessment for a story that feels like it could have been written by a teenager. Nevertheless, it's a fun ride punctuated by assassinations and Tyrolian chases.

marlene_rantz I, more or less, agree with practically all the reviewers. I, too, have seen better spy thrillers and anti-Nazi movies, however, this movie, was, nevertheless, a good movie! Joan Crawford and Fred MacMurray were very good in the lead roles, although I thought the chemistry between them was not that good, whereas the chemistry between Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray in their movies together, especially "Double Indemnity", was fantastic! Bruce Lester, Reginald Owen, Richard Ainley, and, especially, Basil Rathbone all contributed very good supporting performances! Now we come to the actor for whom, like Mark.Waltz, this movie has a special place in my heart: Conrad Veidt! Conrad Veidt was not only an excellent actor, but he had a way about him that made him stand out in any movie, and this movie was no exception! Near the end of the movie, he danced a tango-smiling, and looking so happy, and that made me feel so good, and then I realized that this was his final movie before his early death at the age of 50! I felt so sad that he would no longer be giving his excellent performances!

krorie If the viewer can keep up with all the directions given in this nifty little spy vs. spy thriller, he is a better man than I Gunga Din. It's amazing that Richard Myles (Fred MacMurray) can remember all the details. The viewer may also be amazed that Fred MacMurray speaks such good German. MacMurray is one of those great Hollywood actors who never received his due, even though he almost matched the performances of Edward G. Robinson and Barbara Stanwyck in the film noir classic "Double Indemnity." He certainly keeps up with Joan Crawford in "Above Suspicion," although the two simply don't jell as a team. Barbara Stanwyck would have made a much better partner for MacMurray in this film.All that aside, this is still a topnotch suspense movie from World War II. The flick is fast-paced and has worn well with the passage of time, since all the goings on are now just history to most viewers. Since director Richard Thorpe was an old hand at directing action pictures he lets the show get on the road and move along rapidly. He throws humor in from time to time to ease the tension the way Hitchcock would do in a more masterful way. Viewers used to seeing Basil Rathbone play Sherlock Holmes will enjoy seeing him play a dastardly Nazi stooge who receives his just desserts. In the opposite direction viewers may also enjoy seeing Conrad Veidt playing a good guy who assists the newlyweds Frances and Richard Myles (Joan Crawford and Fred MacMurray)in their dangerous mission inside Nazi Germany. Those who enjoy World War II espionage films, should find this one a winner.

modern_maiden Even though I am a big fan of classic film and Joan Crawford, "Above Suspicion" left me very disappointed. This Nazi era spy film has is complete with secret codes, disguises, evil-doers and international intrigue -- all normally very fascinating stuff, except that in this case it is presented in a simplistic, juvenile way that fails to impress...in fact fails to even keep you awake at times.It's impossible to believe that the British "Foreign Office" would select Joan's character (a perky soon-to-be housewife) and her husband (played by Fred MacMurray) to carry out an urgent, covert spy operation in Nazi Germany. Crawford and MacMurray jaunt casually through their mission as if it were dinner theater instead of a serious life-threatening mission. They appear to be playing a second-string version of Nora and Nick Charles from "The Thin Man" series, but their sad attempts at lighthearted humor only detract from the potential danger and suspense that could have made this film so much more sophisticated and interesting. As far as suspense, plot, and general interest is concerned, I give this film a 3 out of 10. But it would be a great choice if you ever had to choose an unoffensive family film for people who do not have discerning taste. It would easily entertain kids, as it's only one step removed from a Scooby Doo Mystery.