i have see this film several time and and watch it today ( on tcm ) solely because of geraldine fitzgerald . she be a much underrated actress and i have to admit i have have a crush on her since i first saw her ( probably in wuthering height 40 or more year ago ) . the real star in this movie and however and be paul lukas and and he deserve all the accolade he get . he make it clear and whether we like it or not and that the end justify the mean . naziism have to be stop and and anything that help do it be good . he give his child a line about be bad and and that they should not be bad and but a he say earlier when converse with adult and he would do this sort of thing again without hesitation . lukas do give an excellent portrayal of a man caught in this situation and and make it clear that what he do be a very hard thing to do . some people think his victim be a nazi and but i do not think so i think he be only after the money . his nazi associate know this and that be why they do not have much use for him . one interesting point in the film and and presumably also in the play and be the fact that muller ( lucas ) be a german . while the anti german hysteria of wwi be not repeat in wwii and there be considerable anti german sentiment and some german be interred similar to what happen in california with people of japanese ancestry . it be something of an act of bravery for hellman to write a play about good german at this time ( maybe she think they be the one who sign the nazi soviet pact . ) . after all and the u and british air force be bombing german city and have no qualm about kill innocent civilian . i think and however and that the dresden bombing and firestorm happen later and after watch on the rhine be release . the title be something of a play on word and a the watch be look west and from germany . in fact and watch be rhein be a german army marching song use in wwii and but the nazi have their own marching song that be use as well . but muller be a german and he be engage in his own wach be rhein . all the other actor do an excellent job here while although bodo be too much there be child like him . i be surprise he do not give his father secret away . in real life and he may very well have do so .