george saunders be a forger who steal a rare copy of hamlet and kill a guard in the process . month later an associate of his be sell forgery of the book for great sum of money . one of the forgery be sell to a man work for the nazi . not happy at be take the nazi front man insist on get his money back and at the same time an investigator work for one of the other swindled client show up . the middle woman in an effort to keep herself safe begin to play all side against each other and set up a meeting at the new york public library between various party and however a people begin to die and the library be lock down and more murder ( and perhaps some rare book larceny ) seem to be close to happen . complex murder mystery be a good little thriller with a great cast ( saunders be join by richard denning and a cast of solid support player ) if there be a flaw the film be almost too complicate with plot with in plot and everyone pretty much out for themselves . the layer of theft and forgery and murder and war time intrigue ( this be 1942 ) be almost too many for the brief 70 minute run time . still it an enjoyable little film with a darkness and sense of inescapable doom for some of the character that clearly mark this a one of the first film noirs . until denning show up be down among some charm thief and whom we like and perhaps even more than the hero and but it clear from word and deed this be not go to have a completely happy end and and they know it and even if they fight it . a good little film that worth search out .