Mister 880

Moviecut—Mister 880

source: Mister 880

Mister 880

I like MISTER 880 very much. Edmund Goulding's direction is flawless, never allowing the film to stray from its aims and keeping a high moral ground throughout. All characters are worthy of heartfelt sympathy, even the forfeiter played by the excellent Edmund Gwenn. In fact, what makes this film so endearing is that it treats a money counterfeiting case with extremely deft comic touches. The young Burt Lancaaster and Dorothy Maguire make a beautiful and elegant couple, and their acting is top notch, too. Kind-eyed Maguire, in particular, comes across as someone who cares, and I think any man could fall in love with her. To be honest, I did not expect much from this film, but I can safely state that it exceeded my expectations on every count: even photography and soundtrack work to make this a truly pleasant film to watch, not least because of its subtle humor.

The whisky-voiced Brit, Edmund Gwenn, didn't get the Oscar for this one....but he did receive the well-deserved trophy for his portrayal of Kris Kringle in "The Miracle on 34th Street". Sorry to nitpick..he was great in both, and Mr. Gwenn, from all I've read, when queried on his deathbed about how hard it must be to die, was the REAL originator of the oft-repeated showbiz line..."Dying is easy...comedy is hard!"

I loved this movie in the theaters when I was 7, and still loved it on reruns in the 1960's. Having run into it recently, I am sad to report that it is much more syrupy than I remembered with enough holes in the plot to build a new golf course. That being said, if you are looking to relax and be entertained by a disarmingly wry performance by Edmund Gwenn being hunted, albeit a bit too mercifully, by Fed Burt Lancaster (quite handsome in his prime), you will enjoy this. The technical information about the counterfeiting is interesting purely as historical artifacts. The performances of the supporting cast are uniformly excellent. Overall, certainly not a classic, but still hits the mark adequately as heartwarming entertainment.

A good, albeit slight movie starring Burt Lancaster as a secret service agent pursuing the elusive counterfeiter Mister 880 (named for his case number). It's old fashioned and a bit too "nice," but still entertaining. Lancaster has terrific chemistry with Dorothy McGuire (as a UN interpreter who may or may not know more than she's willing to share with Lancaster) and Edmund Gwenn is really perfect. A clever script makes for a fun game of cat and mouse (or mice). Howard St. John is also in it. Director Edmund Goulding manages to create a feel for NYC in 1950 despite being studio-bound. It is a bit like Hitchcock-lite, but still very worthy entertainment.

This film is shown so rarely as to be virtually unknown. Like a number of black and white films, it does not get seen anymore and when I have mentioned it to people they have NEVER heard of it. Twentieth Century Fox should release this on DVD, if they haven't already. I believe Turner Classic Movies may have shown it once. It is great fun and I think everyone will enjoy it. Lancaster plays a Secret Service agent is driven crazy as he tries to track down a counterfeiter who has eluded the government for years and Gwenn's performance is a delight. His rationale for counterfeiting makes perfect sense, but drives a judge and Lancaster crazy. The movie is dated with the passage of time, but it is fascinating to see how the Secret Service of the day tracked down counterfeiters and the New York of the early 50s. I also seem to recall this movie had an Oscar nomination too, but I could be wrong. george senda martinez, ca

I was surprised how fun this film was given the plot. Dorothy McGuire is charming and as usual, Edmund Gwen steals the show.

Very Enjoyable film. Too bad Burt Lancaster didn't make more comedies - as he displays a very nice touch here, making fun of his macho image. I didn't know anything about this film before I watched it and was pleasantly surprised. The characters are a little more "loose" or natural acting than is seen in most Hollywood fare of the time. The story concerns a secret service agent looking for counterfeiters, a translator at the United Nations, and a beloved old man. A very nice, original story. All the actors are good - Burt, Dorothy McGuire is quite radiant and Edmund Gwynn is dynamite. I'd say he is better in this than in "Miracle on 34th Street". If you are looking for a nice movie that will put a smile on your face - you can't go wrong with this one. It'll stick with you.