THE CONSPIRATORS (1944) was Warner Brothers' attempt to cash in on
the surprise success of CASABLANCA the previous year. They could
not get Humphrey Bogart or Ingrid Bergman, but they stocked THE
CONSPIRATORS with Paul Heinreid, Peter Lorre, and Sidney
Greenstreet, as well has having Max Steiner do the score and Arthur
Edeson serve as cinematographer.

The parallels extend to the plot as well. Heinreid is a Resistance
fighter who escapes to Lisbon. In CASABLANCA, Lisbon is just a
destination, but in THE CONSPIRATORS it is front and center.
(Heinreid enters from Spain, rather than from Casablanca, probably
because between the time CASABLANCA was made and the filming of THE
CONSPIRATORS, the Germans occupied the gateway to Casablanca,
Marseille.) But there is a cafe, a casino, and a man stopped by
the police and asked for papers who first lies, then attempts to
flee. There is a love triangle with a "secret" marriage, and the
hero convinces the "neutral" policeman to help him against Nazis
after all.

Alas, although it starts out trying to be CASABLANCA, it turns into
a film six feet wide and a quarter of an inch deep, and seems as
episodic as an "Indiana Jones" film. It is good to see familiar
actors, but there are problems with the acting. (In particular,
Hedy Lamarr proves herself a better inventor than an actress.)
There are also a bushel basket full of character names of several
nationalities you are asked to remember.

And a comment not on the film itself, but on TCM's subtitling:
When in a World War II, "Quisling" is subtitled "Quisny" and "Field
Marshall Goering" is subtitled "Field Marshall Gurin", you realize
the company was hiring people who had no knowledge of the period
whatsoever. (This extends to general vocabulary as well: a
reference to a plan for someone to "avenge your family" is
subtitled "revenge your family.") That TCM accepts such sloppy
work is a real black eye for them.

--
Mark R. Leeper