MartinHafer The lady from the title refers to Hedy Lamarr. However, although her character is referred to in the title of the film, she really is not the star of this picture. Instead, John Hodiak is the star and he does a very nice job playing dual roles--an American immigration agent as well as a stateless Hungarian.When the film begins, a man is accidentally run over when escaping from someone. Why folks are chasing him isn't certain...and you learn more about this as the film progresses. It seems that this unknown dead man is an illegal alien...and clues on his body point to his having just been in Cuba. So, Peter (Hodiak) goes down to this island nation to investigate...with the help of the local police. The trail then leads to a smooth but deadly jerk, played very well by George Macready (he played snake-like characters very well). So how is pretty Hedy involved? Watch the film.I think for Ms. Lamarr, this film was a letdown and didn't do a lot for her career. Now it isn't because it's a bad film at all...it's very good. But she isn't given a lot to do but look pretty...even, inexplicably, during a trek through the Everglades near the end of the film...and her makeup and hair look superb!!! I live in Florida and even if this had been in the middle of winter, she sure COULDN'T have looked that perfect! Well worth seeing...and an interesting and unusual plot.

atlasmb The title character of "A Lady Without Passport" is Marianne Lorress (Hedy Lamar), a Viennese ex-patriate who has waited years to immigrate to the U.S. where her father lives. She is stuck in Cuba due to American regulations and is down on her luck. There she meets Pete Karczag (John Hodiak), an INS agent who is trying to bust a smuggling ring.An ex-pat in a way station, waiting to leave but held back by the authorities. Where have we heard that before? Yes, this is undoubtedly another of the films inspired by the success of "Casablanca" (1942). But it lacks the intensity or charm of the Bogart vehicle. The set for the hotel in this film looks like the set from "To Have and Have Not" (1944), another film about ex-pats trying to get away.But let me focus on the positive aspects of the film. First, there is John Hodiak. The character he plays is clever and street smart--traits that Hodiak pulls off quite well. Secondly, there are the Havana location shots that add an authenticity and the little bit of charm that the film possesses. Lastly, the (B&W) photography shows some originality and adds to the mood of the narrative. The music feels inappropriate at times, but first-rate at other times. Ms. Lamar falls short of being the woman who drives the story and who inspires a man to risk his life.

sol1218 **SPOILERS** Film about a smuggling ring operating out of Havana Cuba getting fake papers and passports for people desperately trying to enter the United States. It becomes apparent to the US Immigration Service that something is not right in Miami when Ramon Santez, Charles Wagenheim, is killed in a car accident in NYC. Having just arrived from Cuba Sentez was in possession of a half $1,000.00 bill when he was killed. We earlier saw that Santez was scared by this stranger who approached him in a car and threatened Sentez about something that he had going with this guy named Palinov, Geore Macready. That threat had him running for his life and head first into a moving automobile! who's the heck is this Palinov?It's later fond out by the INS, Immigration and Naturalization Service, that Sentez was in the country illegally. It's also found out that he was supposed to pay the person who scared him into practically killing himself the other half of the bill that he had on him. Sending Hungarian/American INS agent Pete Karcgaz, John Hodiak, to Havana Cuba to check on the late Satnez connections there Pete decides to go undercover as an Hungarian national. Pete masquerade's around as the snobbish and self-centered Josef Gombush who's trying to enter the United States. This act on Petes part is to get to the bottom of the story that leads him straight to the mysterious Palinov.It's Palinov who approaches Gombush, the undercover INS agent Karczag, not the other way around and invites him to his café the "Gulf Stream" in downtown Havana to talk business. Needing $1,000.00 to get the papers in order for Gombush to enter the US Palinov felt that the guy is loaded and $1,000.00 feed can easily be doubled or even tripled by him.It just happens that Palinov is also working on the papers of beautiful Buchenwald Concentration Camp survivor Marianne Lorress, Hedy Lamarr, who doesn't have the cash, $1,000.00, but sure as hell has the looks to get him to get her into the United States. Gombush/Karcgaz also notices the gorgeous knock-out Marianne at the café which almost causes him to lose both his composure as well as his fake Hungarian accent.Gombush/Karcgaz really over doing it by acting like some high class jerk get's Palinov suspicious of his intentions. He later has a number of his boys break into Gombush's hotel room and work him over. It's then found out that Gombush is actually Pete Karczag American INS agent which completely blows his cover. Knowing that the heat is on Palinov starts to work fast to check out of Cuba but makes a point to point out to the exotic and alluring Marianne that her boyfriend Gombush, he didn't take long to make a move on her,is really American INS agent Pete Karczag! This has her drop Karczag cold and leave together with Palinvo, who's also crazy about her, and a number of other illegal refugees on a chartered plane to Florida.With the US military and local police having an all points bulletin out in looking for him Palinov has his pilot James ,Bruce Cowling, crash land in the wetlands of the Florida Everglades It's then that Palinov takes off with James and of course the captivating Marianne by rubber raft for the open sea in a boat that he had hidden in the swamps.Tracked down by INS agent Karcgaz and his boss chief Westake, James Craig, Palinvo ends up losing his pilot James to an attack by a poisonous water-moccasins. Palivo now on foot makes it to the boat only to run into Karcgaz who made it there first. After trying to shoot and miss both Karcgaz and, I guess he didn't love her anymore, Marianne Palinvo helplessly sails into the fog to Key West. With all his plans now shot to pieces Palinvo is then picked up by the awaiting US Coast Guard as he become stranded, because of agent Karcgaz sabotaging his boat, in the Caribbean Sea.

blanche-2 By the time of "Lady Without a Passport," Hedy Lamarr had seen better days. Of course, having seen better days for Hedy Lamarr would be any other beautiful woman's ultimate moment. She was one of the great film beauties. She never was one of the great film actresses, however, although she's pretty good in this post-war film about immigrants trying to get into the U.S. illegally with the help of the always oily George Macready. Immigration operative John Hodiak is sent to Havana, where he poses as a Hungarian trying to get into the states. He falls in love with Lamarr along the way.John Hodiak, who facially has always reminded me of Martin Landau, does a very good job. There is some magnificent Havana scenery to behold. For me the film bogs down in the protracted ending as everyone is tracing a plane, but picks up again in scenes filmed in the Florida everglades.The movie is black and white and very atmospheric.