Searching for a Old Spy Movie

[Love_the_Old_Stuff]

Hey All

Wonder if any of you could assist.
I’m searching for the title an old black and white spy movie. Think it was called 21000leagues …

The movie starts with a spy being attacked in Britain. Before she dies, she passes on a message to a bystander - asking him to get the information to the authorities.

It turns out, that the secret plot she uncovered was that the soviets were feeding topsecret information to a variety performer who is able to retain loads of information. Upon hearing the key word “21000 leagues” , he would then rattle off all the top secret information.

The movie ends with the performer being killed while reciting all the information and asking for verification that he got it right.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!!

[Dewey_Finn]

Some of your description (e.g., the spy passing on the message while dying) sounds like the movie “The 39 Steps”.

[BrainGlutton]

@Dewey_Finn

Some of your description (e.g., the spy passing on the message while dying) sounds like the movie “The 39 Steps”.

That part of the description also sounds like The Man Who Knew Too Much. But, que sera, sera . . .

[Dewey_Finn]

Well, the “variety performer who is able to retain loads of information” was also a plot element of The 39 Steps.

[Fleetwood]

@Dewey_Finn

Well, the “variety performer who is able to retain loads of information” was also a plot element of The 39 Steps.

Also the ending the OP describes.

[Loach]

@Fleetwood

Also the ending the OP describes.

It is certainly 39 Steps. Here is a synopsis full of spoilers.

The synopsis of the ending:

She goes to meet Hannay at Mr. Memory’s show at the London Palladium, finds him, and sits next to him. Hannay observes Professor Jordan in a box. As the performer is introduced, Hannay recognizes his theme music - it’s an annoyingly catchy tune he hasn’t been able to forget for days. Hannay puts two and two together and realizes that the spies are using Mr. Memory to smuggle the secrets out: he has them memorized so there are no paper documents. As the police take Hannay into custody, he shouts out a question: “What are the 39 Steps?” Mr. Memory compulsively begins to answer, “The Thirty-Nine Steps is an organization of spies, collecting information on behalf of the foreign office of …” Jordan shoots him and tries to flee, but is apprehended. The dying Mr. Memory recites the information stored in his brain, formulas for the design for a silent aircraft engine.

[Loach]

I’m not sure if the “soviets” part of the OP is correct. The book was written in 1915. The Hitchcock version was in 1935. There have been several remakes including a 1959 version that I believe was set in the 50s. I don’t know if any of the versions name the bad guys as working for any specific world power but I certainly have not seen every version.