After the horror of World War II, the Cold War heats up as governments adjust to the new borders that have been redrawn practically overnight. Intrepid American reporters Robert Cannon (Jerome Thor), Helen Davis (Sydna Scott) and Michael Powers (James Daly) find themselves tangling with espionage rings, black market gangs and war criminals in these exciting episodes of "Dateline Europe" (aka "Foreign Intrigue").
Filmed at beautiful locations with an all European supporting cast by producer Sheldon Reynolds (creator of TV's "Sherlock Holmes" with Ronald Howard), "Dateline Europe" was syndicated from 1951-1953. This smart mix of adventure and suspense is reminiscent of the Cold War film noir The Third Man and the radio program "The Lives of Harry Lime."
Science Conference: An important physicist seeking asylum promises to identify a notorious prison torturer from behind the Iron Curtain.
At The Front: After Cannon identifies the body of a murdered fellow reporter, he takes it upon himself to investigate the killing, risking his own life.
Radio Message: Cannon confronts a band of devious spies who attempt to hold the population of an entire country for ransom.
The Code Room: Cannon is the chief suspect when a vital code book is stolen from the government.
Product Description:
Set in various European countries, this post-World War II TV drama draws on much of the unease and uncertainty felt across the continent during this period. Three reporters--Robert Cannon (Jerome Thor), Helen Davis (Sydna Scott), and Michael Powers (James Daly)--follow some illicit activities over the four episodes included here. With the Cold War in full swing, they discover rampant paranoia, murder, spies, secret codes, mysterious characters, and a whole lot more.
Plot Keywords:
Classic |
Classic Television |
Cold War |
Europe |
Series
Better than Volume 1
Movie Lover: Robert Huggins from
Suburban Philadelphia, PA -- September, 9, 2005
. . . that is, the source material used for this second volume.
While far from perfect, the episodes on Volume 2 of "Dateline Europe" are much better looking than the three Jerome Thor/Sydna Scott episodes found on Volume 1.
The four episodes found on this volume are either from the first or second season and feature Jerome Thor as Robert Cannon (in three episodes) or Sydna Scott as Helen Davis (in one episode).
If you are "on the fence" about this series, I'd recommend that you pick up this volume before purchasing Volume 1.
All of the stories are interesting and the visual presentation is acceptable for a television series produced more than 50 years ago.
But Alpha Video made a little mistake on the front cover of this DVD.
The cover shows actor Gerald Mohr rather than Jerome Thor.
Mohr was in the series' final season (1954-55), but he does not appear in any of the episodes released in either Volume 1 or 2.
"Dateline Europe" remains a tough find on home video so, once again, kudos to Alpha for making this TV rarity easily available at an affordable price.
Film Collectors & Archivists: Alpha Video is actively looking for rare and
unusual pre-1943 motion pictures, in good condition, from Monogram, PRC,
Tiffany, Chesterfield, and other independent studios for release on DVD. We
are also interested in TV shows from the early 1950s. Share your passion
for films with a large audience.
Let us know what you have.
