fast transfer of a smash wwii bway play be both fascinating and unintentionally ludicrous . an ott idea ( typical american family take in a german refugee relative and find an unrepentant nazi youth . ) be give an ott treatment and right down to louis applebaum balmy background score . character actor turn megger leslie fenton can not camouflage a penny pinch budget and he certainly doesn not hold the actor down . ( skippy homeier award win perf a the nazi boy be berserk . ) yet he pull off a remarkable chase or fight climax that like something out of f. w. murnau . even henry sharp lensing come to life and recall his glory day shoot doug fairbanks classic and the crowd . ( bump down your brightness level to increase the grey scale on this image dvd edition . ) with naturalism out of the question and pro like fredric march and betty field and agnes moorehead all succumb to heighten stage manner and but they still can not pull off the simplistic humanistic psychological end . the story might make a bit more sense if the kid remain the monstrous automaton we first meet . put on your own double bill with roger corman the intruder/61 and see who decide to follow the leader .