After Tonight
(1933)
70-71 mins | Drama | 10 November 1933
Director:
George ArchainbaudWriters:
Jane Murfin, Albert Shelby LeVino , Worthington MinerCinematographer:
Charles RosherEditor:
William HamiltonProduction Designers:
Van Nest Polglase, Al HermanProduction Company:
RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.The working titles of this film were The Woman Spy, Free Lady and Without Glory. DV reviewed it as The Woman Spy and gave the preview running time as 85 minutes, suggesting that the film may have been cut before general distribution. HR and FD news items give the following information about the production: Cecil Strange was assigned as the picture's story writer in early Jun 1933. By the end of the month, however, RKO announced that the project was being shelved because the story was not suitable for Constance Bennett. In Jul 1933, RKO assigned writer Worthington Miner, a former stage director, to "assist" in the dialogue direction. Vera Lewis, Frank Reicher and Dr. Karl Lohausen were cast in Aug 1933, but their participation in the final film has not been confirmed. In the DV preview review, Robert Benchley is listed as a screenwriter with Murfin and LeVino. A Mar 1934 DV news item states that Baroness Carla Jenssen filed a plagiarism suit against RKO, charging that After Tonight was an unauthorized version of her own story, "She Spys." Jenssen asked for $750,000 in damages, but it is not known if the case ever went to trial. According to modern sources, RKO lost $100,000 on the film. Modern sources give the following additional cast members: William Wagner (Overcoat spy), Edward Keane (Intelligence officer), William von Brincken (Captain--Officer of the day), Herman Bing (Railroad ticket clerk), George Davis (Frenchman), Frank O'Connor (Officer ...
The working titles of this film were The Woman Spy, Free Lady and Without Glory. DV reviewed it as The Woman Spy and gave the preview running time as 85 minutes, suggesting that the film may have been cut before general distribution. HR and FD news items give the following information about the production: Cecil Strange was assigned as the picture's story writer in early Jun 1933. By the end of the month, however, RKO announced that the project was being shelved because the story was not suitable for Constance Bennett. In Jul 1933, RKO assigned writer Worthington Miner, a former stage director, to "assist" in the dialogue direction. Vera Lewis, Frank Reicher and Dr. Karl Lohausen were cast in Aug 1933, but their participation in the final film has not been confirmed. In the DV preview review, Robert Benchley is listed as a screenwriter with Murfin and LeVino. A Mar 1934 DV news item states that Baroness Carla Jenssen filed a plagiarism suit against RKO, charging that After Tonight was an unauthorized version of her own story, "She Spys." Jenssen asked for $750,000 in damages, but it is not known if the case ever went to trial. According to modern sources, RKO lost $100,000 on the film. Modern sources give the following additional cast members: William Wagner (Overcoat spy), Edward Keane (Intelligence officer), William von Brincken (Captain--Officer of the day), Herman Bing (Railroad ticket clerk), George Davis (Frenchman), Frank O'Connor (Officer on train), Selmer Jackson (Spy), Julie Haydon (Hysterical nurse), Hooper Atchley (Contact who is captured), Landers Stevens (Major), Major Sam Harris (German officer), Virginia Weidler (Olga, Carla's niece), Hans Furberg and Adrienne d'Ambricourt. In addition, Vera Lewis' character is listed as "Anna Huber, a cleaner" and Frank Reicher's as "Major-Medical officer" in modern sources.
The Woman Spy
Without Glory
At the start of World War I, pretty Carla is befriended by German officer Rudolph Ritter while trying to buy a ticket to Vienna in a hectic Luxembourg train station. After the train dumps them at the Austrian border, Carla suddenly deserts her benefactor without explanation. In Vienna, Rudolph leads an effort to break a Russian spy ring, unaware that Carla, who is actually Russian, is passing and receiving messages under the code name K-14 while posing as a cabaret singer. After Carla is searched and almost caught with a message during a performance, she is reassigned to a seamstress' shop. When that cover is exposed, she flees Vienna one step ahead of Rudolph and becomes a nurse at a German military hospital. Later, one of Carla's messages, which she has written in invisible ink in a book, is intercepted by Rudolph as it is being passed from agent to agent along a convoluted route. After tracing the message's place of origin, Rudolph stations himself at the German post and vows that he will catch the spy. Soon after his arrival, Rudolph and Carla meet, and their romantic desires are rekindled. Against her better judgment, Carla falls in love with her enemy, and although he eventually uncovers evidence implicating her as the spy, Rudolph is reluctant to admit that she is K-14. Forced by his sense of duty, however, Rudolph traps Carla by passing her a phony order to meet a contact in a deserted cottage. Finally caught by Rudolph, Carla prepares to be arrested but is rescued by another spy, who wounds Rudolph during the escape. After the armistice, Rudolph ...
At the start of World War I, pretty Carla is befriended by German officer Rudolph Ritter while trying to buy a ticket to Vienna in a hectic Luxembourg train station. After the train dumps them at the Austrian border, Carla suddenly deserts her benefactor without explanation. In Vienna, Rudolph leads an effort to break a Russian spy ring, unaware that Carla, who is actually Russian, is passing and receiving messages under the code name K-14 while posing as a cabaret singer. After Carla is searched and almost caught with a message during a performance, she is reassigned to a seamstress' shop. When that cover is exposed, she flees Vienna one step ahead of Rudolph and becomes a nurse at a German military hospital. Later, one of Carla's messages, which she has written in invisible ink in a book, is intercepted by Rudolph as it is being passed from agent to agent along a convoluted route. After tracing the message's place of origin, Rudolph stations himself at the German post and vows that he will catch the spy. Soon after his arrival, Rudolph and Carla meet, and their romantic desires are rekindled. Against her better judgment, Carla falls in love with her enemy, and although he eventually uncovers evidence implicating her as the spy, Rudolph is reluctant to admit that she is K-14. Forced by his sense of duty, however, Rudolph traps Carla by passing her a phony order to meet a contact in a deserted cottage. Finally caught by Rudolph, Carla prepares to be arrested but is rescued by another spy, who wounds Rudolph during the escape. After the armistice, Rudolph and Carla meet again at a Swiss train station and, free at last from the obligations of war, fall into each other's arms.
Viewed by AFI
Partially Viewed
Offscreen Credit
Name Occurs Before Title
AFI Life Achievement AwardTOP SEARCHES
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