CONSPIRATOR (1949)

 

Conspirator is a 1949 British film noir, suspense, espionage and thriller film directed by Victor Saville and starring Robert Taylor and Elizabeth Taylor. Based on the 1948 novel Conspirator written by Humphrey Slater, the film concerns an American woman who falls in love with a Soviet spy, who must choose between his marriage and his ideology.

Plot

While visiting England, 18-year-old Melinda Greyton attends a regimental ball, where she meets handsome major Michael Curragh, and a whirlwind courtship follows.

After the marriage and honeymoon, Melinda learns that her husband is a Soviet spy. Michael pretends to abandon his career of espionage but soon discovers that his superiors have ordered him to kill Melinda.

Cast

• Robert Taylor as Major Michael Curragh
• Elizabeth Taylor as Melinda Greyton
• Robert Flemyng as Captain Hugh Ladholme
• Harold Warrender as Colonel Hammerbrook
• Honor Blackman as Joyce
• Marjorie Fielding as Aunt Jessica
• Thora Hird as Broaders
• Wilfrid Hyde-White as Lord Pennistone
• Marie Ney as Lady Pennistone
• Jack Allen as Raglan
• Helen Haye as Lady Witheringham
• Cicely Paget-Bowman as Mrs. Hammerbrook
• Karel Stepanek as Radek
• Nicholas Bruce as Alek
• Cyril Smith as Detective Inspector
• Janette Scott as Toby, Aunt Jessica's grandchild (uncredited)

Production

The producers were careful to cut mentions in the film of the British traitors during World War II, such as John Amery and Norman Baillie-Stewart, for fear of litigation from their families.^[2] However, an indirect mention of Baillie-Stewart remains in the film when he is simply called "that fellow in the tower".

Robert Taylor, a staunch political conservative and strident opponent of communism who plays a Soviet spy in the film, said: "It is a full acting role but a mighty unpleasant character."^[3]

Robert Taylor, who was in his late 30s, plays the romantic lead of Elizabeth Taylor, who was 16 at the time of production. When Melinda is asked her age by Aunt Jessica, Taylor's voice is heard replying "18", but her lips appear to speak "17", suggesting that the producers may have dubbed the line in post-production to avoid controversy and trouble with the Production Code Administration.^{[citation needed]}

While on set in England, Elizabeth Taylor was required to spend three hours per day in an improvised schoolroom under the tutelage of a teacher sent by the Los Angeles Board of Education. Although British law did not mandate schooling beyond the age of 14, the producers were obliged to abide by California law.^[4]

According to MGM records, the film earned $859,000 in the U.S. and Canada and $732,000 overseas, resulting in a loss to the studio of $804,000.^[1]