The Danes knew how to make a good film. Det Hemmelighedsfulde X (Danish for The Mysterious X) was filmed in 1913 and released in 1914, reaching the US under the title Sealed Orders. It is a melodramatic spy thriller with everything – the young commander fiendishly implicated by the master spy; the maligned wife who may yet save the day; carrier pigeons. A contemporary review (linked below) commented on extraordinary lighting and camera effects, the light touch of the director, and the naturalness with which the plot unfolds, including the role played by a child and his indulgent nurse. “It sets a new and hitherto but hoped for standard of quality.”
For a link to the livestream and recording, please subscribe ($5 ticket/$10 subscription with access to all of our films). This is what sustains our series of fascinating lesser-known films with Philip’s wonderful improvised accompaniments and commentary. I will make a final check at noon on Sunday 11/26 for new subscribers and ticket holders who wish to join us live at 2 pm; after the livestream the recording will remain available at the same link.
Below is a promotion for the film in The Moving Picture World; A review was subsequently printed in the same magazine after the film debuted in the US – note that it includes plot spoilers; since this is, after all, a thriller, you may want to wait to check it out till after you’ve seen the film.
Here’s the first column of that review (a full three columns!) — no spoilers in this section…
