The Lady Has Plans


The Lady Has Plans is a 1942 American comedy spy thriller directed by Sidney Lanfield and starring Ray Milland, Paulette Goddard and Roland Young. This film was released on January 24, 1942, by Paramount Pictures as a World War II espionage film set in neutral powers during [World War II|neutral] Portugal.

Plot

A gang of criminals murder a scientist, steal plans for a "radio-controlled torpedo" and have them tattooed in invisible ink on the back of a woman named Rita, planning to sell them to the highest bidder. Paul Baker then murders the tattooer. Rita is to take the place of reporter Sidney Royce on an airplane bound for Lisbon. Baker has informed the British and the Nazis to contact "Sidney" there for the auction. Joe Scalsi is given the task of making sure that Sidney does not board the plane, but he is taken into custody by government agents. Rita witnesses this.
Meanwhile, the real Sidney Royce is being sent to Lisbon to work for the very demanding Kenneth Harper, who has fired the last four reporters. They were all men, so Mr. Weston decides to try sending a woman instead.

Cast

panned the film in his The [New York Times|New York Times] review, calling it a "silly fable, without rhyme or reason" and a "thoroughly implausible tale".

Adaptations

The Lady Has Plans was adapted for The Lux Radio Theatre, with William Powell and Rita Hayworth replacing Milland and Goddard in the title roles. It was aired on April 26, 1943.