Joe Smith, American
| Joe Smith, American | |
|---|---|
Theatrical Film Poster | |
| Directed by | Richard Thorpe |
| Written by | Allen Rivkin |
| Based on | The Adventures of Joe Smith, American 1940 story in Hearst's International Cosmopolitan by Paul Gallico |
| Produced by | Jack Chertok |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Charles Lawton Jr. |
| Edited by | Elmo Veron |
| Music by | Daniele Amfitheatrof (uncredited) |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Lowes, Inc. |
Release date |
|
Running time | 63 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $236,000 |
| Box office | $708,000 |
Joe Smith, American is a 1942 American spy film directed by Richard Thorpe and stars Robert Young and Marsha Hunt. The film, loosely based on the story of Herman W. Lang, and the theft of plans of a top-secret bombsight, is the account of a worker at an aviation factory who is kidnapped by enemy spies. The opening credits contained the following written prologue: "This story is about a man who defended his country. His name is Joe Smith. He is an American. This picture is a tribute to all Joe Smiths."
Joe Smith, American was the first in a series of B films made at MGM under the supervision of Dore Schary who also wrote the initial treatment, based on "his own yarn". His story was later adapted to a postwar setting and new characters to become The Big Operator (1959).