The Magnificent Fraud * (1939, Akim Tamiroff, Lloyd Nolan, Mary Boland, Patricia Morison, George Zucco) – Classic Movie Review 13,535

The 1939 film The Magnificent Fraud stars Akim Tamiroff as an actor hired by a con man (Lloyd Nolan) to impersonate the assassinated president of a Latin American country.

Director Robert Florey’s 1939 Paramount Pictures black and white comedy crime drama film The Magnificent Fraud is based on Charles G Booth’s short story Caviar for His Excellency, and stars Akim Tamiroff, Lloyd Nolan, Mary Boland, Patricia Morison, and George Zucco, along with Ralph Forbes, Steffi Duna, Ernest Cossart, and Robert Warwick.

When the despotic leader of a South American country is killed by a bomb, a renowned character actor mimic (Akim Tamiroff) takes his place at the behest of a crook (Lloyd Nolan), but then takes the part too seriously, beginning to believe it himself.

Tamiroff gives a refreshing turn, Nolan is good value, and there are several lively support performances too, in this otherwise far from magnificent drama with some vaguely amusing elements of comedy to enliven it. Alas, a toshy, static script by Gilbert Gabriel and Walter Ferris doesn’t really get anywhere very much or very fast.

The story is recycled to some extent in 1988’s Moon over Parador.

It is partly filmed in Balboa Park in San Diego.

This proved a bad moment for George Raft. He refused to play as Sam Barr, so Lloyd Nolan replaced him, and Raft left Paramount.

The cast are Akim Tamiroff as Jules LaCroix / President Alvarado, Lloyd Nolan as Sam Barr, Mary Boland as Mme Geraldine Genet, Patricia Morison as Claire Hill, George Zucco as Dr Luis Virgo, Ralph Forbes as Harrison Todd, Steffi Duna as Carmelita, Ernest Cossart  as Duval, Robert Warwick as General Pablo Hernandez, Frank Reicher as Mendietta Garcia, Robert Middlemass as Morales, Abner Biberman as Ruiz, and Donald Gallaher as Dr Diaz.

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,535

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com

DerekIanWinnert