''Smashing the Spy Ring'' is a 1938 American

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

, directed by Christy Cabanne. It stars

Ralph Bellamy Ralph Rexford Bellamy (June 17, 1904 – November 29, 1991) was an American actor whose career spanned 65 years on stage, film, and television. During his career, he played leading roles as well as supporting roles, garnering acclaim and ...

Fay Wray Vina Fay Wray (September 15, 1907 – August 8, 2004) was a Canadian/American actress best known for starring as Ann Darrow in the 1933 film ''King Kong''. Through an acting career that spanned nearly six decades, Wray attained international r ...

, and

Regis Toomey John Francis Regis Toomey (August 13, 1898October 12, 1991) was an American film and television actor. Early life Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he was one of four children of Francis X. and Mary Ellen Toomey, and attended Peabody High ...

, and was released on December 29, 1938.

Plot

Undercover secret agents John Baxter and Ted Hall apprehend a foreign spy at a factory, but he is shot by Steve Corben. They are transferred to

Washington D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, Na ...

to work with Phil Dunlap to break up a spy ring, but Phil is quickly killed. Phil's sister Eleanor agrees to help finish the work. During the testing of a new chemical weapon, Ted fakes his death while John impersonates the gas's inventor Professor Leonard and feigns a mental breakdown. John and Eleanor, who pretends to be Leonard's sisters, admit themselves into the spy ring's

sanatorium A sanatorium (from Latin '' sānāre'' 'to heal, make healthy'), also sanitarium or sanitorium, are antiquated names for specialised hospitals, for the treatment of specific diseases, related ailments and convalescence. Sanatoriums are often ...

to gather intelligence but are discovered and captured. They escape by throwing acid from the laboratory at their captors before the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department surrounds the building. John and Eleanor become engaged, and Ted begins writing a novel based on the adventure.

Cast list

as John Baxter *

as Eleanor Dunlap *

as Ted Hall *

Walter Kingsford Walter Kingsford (born Walter Pearce; 20 September 1882 – 7 February 1958) was an English stage, film and television actor. Early years Kingsford was born in Redhill, Surrey, England. Career Kingsford began his acting career on the Lo ...

as Dr. L. B. Carter *

Ann Doran Ann Lee Doran (July 28, 1911 – September 19, 2000) was an American character actress, possibly best known as the mother of Jim Stark (James Dean) in ''Rebel Without a Cause'' (1955). She was an early member of the Screen Actors Guild and serv ...

as Madelon Martin *

Warren Hull John Warren Hull (January 17, 1903 – September 14, 1974), known professionally as Warren Hull, was an American actor, singer and television personality active from the 1930s through the 1960s. He was one of the most popular serial actors in t ...

as Phil Dunlap * Forbes Murray as Colonel Scully * Adrian Booth as Miss Loring (credited as Lorna Gray) * Paul Whitney as Mason *

Bess Flowers Bess Flowers (November 23, 1898 – July 28, 1984) was an American actress best known for her work as an extra in hundreds of films. She was known as "The Queen of the Hollywood Extras," appearing in more than 350 feature films and numerou ...

as Mrs. Austin * John Tyrrell as Johnson

References

External links

* * * 1938 drama films 1938 films American drama films Films directed by Christy Cabanne Columbia Pictures films American black-and-white films Films about chemical war and weapons Films set in Washington, D.C. 1930s American films {{1930s-drama-film-stub