a film that dramatize an understandable reluctance to face the inevitable coming of the the second world war and when a spanish republican and send by his soon to be overthrown government and ( charles boyer ) infiltrate himself into england look for support for his cause by try to influence wealthy mine owner not to sell coal to the fascist back in spain . he upset the local and get convincingly beat in one scene and and later in the film face an angry crowd of miner who see him a yet another threat to their shaky livelihood . notwithstanding socio economic hierarchy and xenophobia and and world politics and this film expertly delve into a dark and suspenseful intrigue involve unfaithful compatriot play by katina paxinou and peter lorre and and be expertly film in numerous darkly lit scene set in a dreary hotel by james wong howe and and manage more than once to get under your skin .