Joe Smith, American

directed by Richard Thorpe
Category: "Action/Adventure"
Year of Release:1942
Date Added:05/16/2025
Date Watched:05/16/2025
Description:Joe Smith (Robert Young) works at an airplane assembly plant during the war. He has a happy home life with his wife Mary (Marsha Hunt), and their son, Johnny. Joe is chosen to install top-secret bomb sights. On the way home from work, he is kidnapped by four men who beat him and try to get him to tell them about the sight. Joe holds out, and finally the men take him in their car to kill him. Joe memorizes everything he can about the trip and then escapes. He's injured, but manages to lead the cops and government agents to the house where he was tortured. They catch three of the men. The fourth is caught when Joe's boss at the plant stops by to congratulate him, and Joe recognizes his ring.
My Rating:7

Reviews for Joe Smith, American

Review - Joe Smith, American

As a story, it was boiler plate stuff, more like an episode of Dragnet than a movie. But as a piece of pure wartime Americana — complete with the story of Nathan Hale, plenty of flags and pledges of allegiance, propaganda posters, and rousing speeches — it was fascinating. Marsha Hunt didn't have much to do, but she was lovely.

Reviewed by Roger on 2025-05-16 18:49:18

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