Tedfoldol everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Teddie Blake The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Kamila Bell This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

montypython10 I'll give this move one thing-- it's pungent enough to cease being background noise and have me watch it. Other reviewers have explained the not-at-all intricate plot so I won't rehash it here (I'm a spy for the union, but I've fallen in love with a rebel!) but suffice to say, it's 80 minutes of disposable dialog and wooden acting interspersed with songs about "jungle fever" and "darkies in de Congo." Oh, and Marion Davies' terrible blackface disguise and scenery-chewing acting.This is a fine example of the time when movies were churned out like stamped sheet metal. It has worth if one considers using it as a part of a larger effort to explore historical depictions of race in American cinema, but otherwise it's a waste of time-- and an offensive one at that.

MartinHafer This is a very, very rare film. While my family is generally very patient, they began screaming at me to "turn off that garbage" as I was watching OPERATOR 13. Part of this was because they had just suffered through another Marion Davies film, GOING Hollywood--a truly dumb film from start to finish. The other reason was when Marion appeared in OPERATOR 13 in Black-face ( a "clever" disguise so blonde Marion could go behind enemy lines and spy during the Civil War), my wife and oldest daughter were so offended and irritated with the insensitivity and stupidity of the film that they demanded I turn it off! Well, I watched a bit more but found the film so utterly dumb as well that I eventually agreed. So, I must admit that I never finished this bad film.So why, then, would I bother to review this film even though I didn't complete it? Well there are two reasons. First, it being so offensive and dumb is something I think others should know so that they are forewarned. Second, because there is currently some sort of cult out there that worships Marion Davies.It's true...it's like a cult in many ways! In the last couple years, some group of people who worship at the alter of Miss Davies have gone onto IMDb to give every film she ever made ratings of 10. While I will agree that she made some lovely films (such as SHOW PEOPLE) she also made a lot of turkeys--particularly later in her career. Yet, inexplicably, all of her films are rated HIGHER than most of the films in the IMDb top 250. The only reason they don't dominate this list is because there aren't enough votes for her movies (yet) to make it to the list--you need a certain minimum number of votes. This is true even for her films that lost tons of money and critics hated (such as CAIN AND MABEL).As for this phenomenon and OPERATOR 13, almost 55% of the scores it has received are 10s--even with this disgusting and inexcusable Black-face segment. In contrast, GONE WITH THE WIND (39%) and BEN HUR (1959--29%) have a much lower percentage of 10s What is wrong with these people?! Do they LIKE seeing racist films with stupid plots?! Uggh. You have been forewarned! By the way, shortly after the film begins, there is a crowd scene as President Lincoln looks down on the crowd. Oddly, the men in the crowd are all wearing Fedora-style hats (circa 1930s) and one has a straw hat! A bit sloppy, huh? Sure sounds like it merits a 10!

psteier Marion Davies is unbelievable as a spy behind Confederate lines who falls for Confederate spy Gary Cooper.The black stereotypes are normal for the time, but now hard to take. The main interest to me are the women's costumes by Andre, especially those in the ball scene.

Pat-54 Civil war story with Marion Davis as a Confederate spy disguised as a slave. Not politically correct by today's standards ("Negroes always gossip" is one of the more controversial lines from the script), but it does prove that Marion Davies was a competent actress when given the chance.