5 Fingers (1952) Online

Another great performance by James Mason - he is wonderful as the brainy, underestimated valet of the British Ambassador to Turkey who feeds invaluable information to the Nazis for a price. The betrayals and counter-betrayals throughout make this a terrific suspense film. As usual, I find myself hoping that James Mason will get away with his crimes, even in spite of the despicable nature of his treachery and to whom he is betraying his secrets. The ending is satisfying in the most perfect way.

I'd never heard of this film when I tuned in to the History channel of all places, hoping for a diversion. I was immediately caught up in this suspenseful and well-acted TRUE STORY of how and why the Nazis obtained advance knowledge of the D-Day invasion, but made no use of it. Some of the most implausible aspects of this fictionalized account - the delicious surprise twist at the end - are TRUE! One of my film guides informed me that "5 Fingers" won the '53 Golden Globe for its excellent screenplay. The highlights of the witty script include the interplay of James Mason, as the suave valet I couldn't help rooting for, and Danielle Darrieux, as the penniless yet glamourously seductive Countess Staviska. The acting of these two is top-notch; the supporting cast is consistently strong, and the Turkish location shooting gives it body. And the direction, by Joseph Mankiewicz is solid. This is a film about which you will ask, as I did: "Why Haven't I Heard of THIS one Before!?!"

Supposedly based on a true story, a valet uses his position at British embassy to steal WWII secrets to sell to the Germans.

What a superbly tight script that stays on the compelling track the whole time. We watch lowly valet Diello (Mason) use nothing but wits and guts to outmaneuver both the British and the Germans. He's not a sympathetic lead character, always unusual for a Hollywood production (TCF). But you can't help admiring his ability to outwit the professionals, even if he is completely self-centered.

I get the feeling Diello sees himself as a natural born aristocrat denied that position by the fortunes of birth. So, by golly, he's going to use those talents to get the wealth and position he deserves, but which European society has denied him.

Mason is simply superb in a tailor-made part. He projects both the icy intelligence and curt politeness that the role requires. I sweated a bucket load when the cleaning lady rummages around the closet, while Diello photographs embassy secrets. If she finds the power switch, he's toast. Great scene.

Note too, how there're no obvious good guys-bad guys, also unusual for a WWII drama. The British are slightly favored, but at least the Germans aren't caricatured. It's more like one opportunist (Diello) is exploiting both sides impartially, and they're both after him.

Then too, what guy wouldn't lose his head over the delectable Darrieux, even a guy as calculating as Diello. All of which makes the ending one of the most ironically satisfying in movie annals. I'm betting this was one of the best films to come out of that spare movie year of 1952. So if you haven't seen it, do.

This forgotten film brilliantly directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz is one of the best spy films we have seen in recent memory. The film holds the viewer in suspense up the last frame. Mr. Mankiewicz was working on the fine screen play written by Michael Wilson, based on a real incident told by L. C. Moyzisch, a German officer who is a key player in the story.

The film opens in Ankara, Turkey's capital during WWII. The place is swarming with spies and intrigues. We are taken to a reception where we encounter Countess Anna, a beautiful woman of uncertain age, who is living below her means in the country. Anna asks for monetary help to a German officer, who she has met before. At this point, we meet Diello, a valet to the English ambassador to Turkey. Diello has a proposal for Moyzisch, a German connected to the embassy. He proposes a deal where he will cooperate in spying for the Germans in exchange of heavy amounts of money.

Since Diello needs a front, Countess Anna, becomes the a desirable object for this man's plans in how to conduct the business. Thus the impoverished countess agrees to the plan. Countess Anna becomes a hostess who gathers in her new elegant surroundings the cream of the diplomatic society. The countess goes along with the scheme, but at the same time, she deeply resents the idea of having Diello, a man that is not from her circle and background, be treated as her equal.

The film works because what we see is what really happened. This being a real story, is not something that came out of some writer's imagination. On the contrary, we are completely astounded in the way this Diello was able to fool his superiors at the embassy. We watch as Diello goes about the business of spying right at the ambassador's office without being caught.

There are two ironic twists to the story that come as complete surprises to us. In a way, because one is not expecting, the first one is the betrayal to Diello by the heartless countess, and the second one is at the conclusion of the film. This last one is something that keeps us laughing along with Diello and in turn to the woman who double crossed him.

James Mason, is excellent as Diello. Mr. Mason was an actor that always delivered. In his English films, as well as some of his Hollywood movies, this actor projected such a powerful figure. His method of working always amazes because his performances always build up to unexpected results. The film belongs to Mr. Mason, who is terrific and charismatic.

Danielle Darrieux, one of the best French film actresses of all times, makes a delightful appearance as Countess Anna. She transforms herself from a the woman trying to eke out a living to the sophisticated lady of a society she felt comfortable with because she was born into it.

The supporting roles are quite good. The surprise was Herbert Berghof, one of the most famous acting teachers of all times making a rare appearance.

"5 Fingers" has a great black and white cinematography by Norman Brodine who captures some of those Turkish locales in all their splendor. The film score by Bernard Herrmann adds another dimension to the film. Thanks to Mr. Mankiewicz, this is a film that will please his admirers.

This is one of the great spy films. Mason gives his trademark cool, expert performance as a slippery, suave spy for the Nazis. The story is one of 20th Century Fox's series of documentary-style films based on real events during World War II.

The sense of danger and suspense is well handled, and the conclusion is Shakespearian in irony. This is a minor classic -- minor simply because few people know about it. See it if you get the chance.

I remember reading the book on which this film is based more than fifty years ago, as well as seeing it when it was first released. I have just viewed it again and want to encourage others to see it. It is well crafted in every respect -- taut direction, superb performances, and a very fine screenplay. This film deserves more recognition.

This film is far from forgotten. Fans of James Mason and director Joseph L. Mankiewicz know it well. It's one of the most intelligent spy thrillers ever thanks to an Oscar-winning screenplay by Michael Wilson ("Bridge on the River Kwai," "Lawrence of Arabia," and the original "Planet of the Apes"). It also has a score by Bernard Herrmann. What else do you need? Other comments here have told what the plot is, so all I'll say is I envy you if haven't seen it yet and plan to. It's gripping and enjoyable all the way, and wonderfully ironic.

This is one of the best roles of James Mason's career, and it's a long, distinguished one indeed, with more than its share of underrated masterpieces (Michael Powell's "Age of Consent") and overrated mediocrities (Carol Reed's "Odd Man Out) for film fans to dig through. This role is perfect for Mason because no one is better than he at playing elegant scoundrels that you can't help but admire for their craftiness. You root for this spy to double cross everybody all the way even though it might mean the allies losing WWII, etc. And the ending is wonderfully ambiguous and evily hilarious with Mason laughing his head off and not caring that he's personally in a very tight spot but thoroughly amused that the "Contessa" who tried to double-cross him had 'gotten hers.' One of the best written and acted American films of the '50s.

James Mason does an excellent job as a suave valet to the British Ambassador in "Five Fingers." Desiring the life of a Rio de Janeiro gentleman, he starts selling secrets out of the Ambassador's safe to the Nazis, with the help of the wife of his former employer, Danielle Darrieux. Michael Rennie is brought in to see if he can discover the source of the leak.

Joseph Mankiewicz directed the film, and it's done in partial documentary style with narration. It's based on a true story, though the Darrieux character was invented for the film.

This is a highly entertaining film with some wonderful, suspenseful moments, a neat twist at the end, and the highly atmospheric Turkish scenery. Highly recommended.

Up till recently I had never seen 5 Fingers, for some reason it is rarely shown on television. But in watching it I knew why Alfred Hitchcock had cast James Mason as villainous Philip Van Damm in North By Northwest. His role as Diello in 5 Fingers, the Albanian spy for profit, is apparently what Hitchcock saw before casting his film.

The setting of this is Ankara, capital of neutral Turkey in World War II. Mason is the valet of the British ambassador there and an Albanian national. He's hit upon a scheme to enrich himself with a little espionage.

Mason hits the jackpot with the secret plans for Overlord, the location and operation of the Allied invasion of Europe. He pulls off the caper of all time, but things go quite awry after that. Former employer Countess Danielle Darrieux does him wrong in a very big way.

Michael Rennie is fine as the intrepid British counter intelligence agent and the other outstanding performance is John Weingraf as Franz Von Papen the German Ambassador to Turkey at the time. He wasn't called the Fox for nothing.

If you enjoyed James Mason in that Hitchcock classic, you will not want to miss 5 Fingers.

Greatly enjoyed this 1952 film which was very well produced and the wonderful photography through out Istanbul, Turkey was outstanding. The Nazi agents and British tried to keep tabs on a spy who was giving out very important information and was sometimes not believed by the German Government. James Mason,(Ulysses Diello),"Voyage of the Damned",'76, gave an excellent performance and had lots of fun changing light bulbs and taking fuses out of the fuse boxes and setting alarms off, giving the cleaning lady a hard time trying to vacuum the rugs! Michael Rennie( George Travers),"The Lost World",'60, was a British Agent trying to track down the SPY. Ulysses Diello at one point in the film went into a wild laughing spell that just could not STOP! This is a great James Mason film, ENJOY!

Though I've yet to hear a satisfactory explanation of the title (maybe it has something to do with the digits necessary to open a safe), that's the only thing I can fault with this superb thriller. It's roughly based on a real incident in WWII, how rough doesn't matter; if it didn't happen exactly this way, it should have.

James Mason has never put to better use his by turns servile and arrogant personae. He's an Albanian, personal valet to the British ambassador in neutral Turkey. He has a dream of a villa in Rio and to realize it he needs money. In his privileged position he can open the embassy safe (we never learn how he finagled the combination), photograph secret documents and sell them, after much initially suspicious resistance, to the German embassy.

He then convinces his former Albanian boss' wife, broke, to hold the money for him, using what she needs to keep court. He even convinces himself that he's won her over emotionally, too.

The twists and turns that follow as he's almost caught by the British authorities keep the film hopping along at a tense pace. The ending is Hollywood irony at its best. Totally unexpected.

Look for it where you can. It rarely pops up on TV anymore.

In the period between 1918 - 1939 most of the countries in Eastern Europe were notable for the strongman dictatorships that had arisen out of the ashes of the First World War. Except for Czechoslovakia and the doomed Baltic trio of states and Finland and Austria (for awhile), Poland, Hungary, Italy, and the Balkan states all became dictatorships. One might, on the surface, have added the former Ottoman Empire now Turkey. Certainly Turkey had some black marks against it: the Armenian massacres in the World War, and the brutal massacre of Greeks at Smyrna in 1922. But aside from those, Turkey surprised everyone. It's strongman leader, Mustapha Kemal (a.k.a. Kemal Attaturk) was determined to make Turkey a strong western country. To this day the military (from which Kemal came out of) has remained pro-Western, and been pushing (despite difficulties with Armenia, Greece, the Kurds, and Muslim fundamentalists) to keep modernizing Turkey. His (Kemal's) was the only positive spin on a dictatorship from Eastern Europe in that period.

Kemal was lucky that he had a keen lieutenant and successor named Ismet Inonu. Ismet was as determined to continue Kemal's goals after his friend's death in 1938. One goal that both of them had discussed and agreed upon was that Turkey was not going to be pulled into any further nonsense that it could not afford to get involved in. This meant that if there was any major war hitting Europe again (and both Kemal and Ismet fully knew one was on the way after 1933) Turkey was going to be neutral. This was, on the surface, surprising and disappointing to the Axis when war came in 1939 - 1940. Hitler figured that, as Turkey had been allied to Germany in World War I it would be allied again in World War II. Actually Kemal (and Ismet) were less than enchanted by such an idea. Kemal made his reputation as a great military hero by his leadership against the British at Gallipoli. While the German commander Liman Von Sanders, took kudos for much of the triumph there, Kemal fumed at this - he knew that Von Sanders made several severe blunders that cost Turkish lives, and that he looked at the Turks as cannon fodder. Kemal was determined that no Turk would die for Germany again. Ismet swore the same thing.

It is for this reason that Turkey is neutral from 1939 to 1945 (as De Velera's Eire was also neutral). This meant that the embassies of all the major powers were active in Ankara during the war, and that much spy activity was going on there as a result. Hollywood did take notice of it twice (as far as I can recall) - in 1943 when Warner Brothers made a film of Eric Ambler's 1940 novel BACKGROUND TO DANGER about a German plot to force Turkey into the war as an Axis ally (Sidney Greenstreet as the Nazi agent against George Raft as the American one), and the 1942 film JOURNEY INTO FEAR, where German agents are after an American engineer (Joseph Cotton) who has been arming Turkish ships. That too was from an Eric Ambler novel.

With this as the background, you can suddenly understand the story of "Operation Cicero". Ulysses Diello (James Mason) in the film (his real name was Bazna) is personal valet to the British Ambassador to Turkey (Walter Hampden). But he is gifted spy, and has proof of it which he takes to the German embassy's espionage chief Moyzisch (Oskar Karlweis). Actually the information by itself would not unduly impress Moyzisch (it could be a plant for all that), but Diello opens the embassy safe while Moyzisch is out of the room. He knows that in Germany, since 1933, Hitler's birthday or his date of coming to power are the universal combinations favored in government organizations for their safes.

The pieces of information that Cicero (the code name for Mason) checks out - although there is always a lingering sense of doubt by Moyzisch's higher ups in German intelligence. They continue paying Mason in British pounds (he may give them the information, but Mason has little faith the Germans are going to win the war). In the meantime the leak has been noticed by British intelligence, which sends Michael Rennie to investigate. Soon he begins to concentrate on Mason. Mason feels he still can carry on his espionage business. However Mason has started romancing a Countess (Danielle Darrieux) whom he once knew as a servant. She may be playing him for a sucker - but even if she is, he is determined to carry off the greatest espionage coup of all time. He is aware of some large scale Allied invasion being planned - and a copy of the plans is at the British embassy.

The film shows what actually happened. He did get the information regarding "Operation Overlord" and sold it to the Germans. And their subsequent use of this masterstroke demonstrated again how smart Cicero was in judging German "intelligence". It is an exciting spy thriller, and (on the whole) factual. Mason, Rennie, Darrieux, Hampden give pretty good accounts for themselves in this film, and Joseph Mankiewicz' script and direction are excellent. A highly worthy film to be seen.

A brilliant suspense classic headed by the always exciting James Mason, a superb script from Michael Wilson and top notch direction from Joseph Mankeweicz, who received a Best Director nomination for this film, as did Wilson's screenplay.

SPOILER WARNING SPOILER WARNING...when the countess double-crossed James Mason? She would spy on the Germans, she would help Mason's valet character, Diello, spy on the British. Like Diello said, money was like electric light to her. She gave no thought to the source until it was shut off. And in their last conversation it was obvious to her that Diello considered the money he made from spying to be his money, not theirs. Diello's big mistake during all of this is an underlying belief that there is any honor among thieves, and not realizing this is not a business venture as far as any of the parties are concerned.

The film is about a valet at the British embassy in neutral Turkey using the lack of any strong security measures at that embassy to steal Allied secrets and sell them to the Germans, amassing a large fortune in just a couple of months. It is true he wants a life of leisure in a peaceful place, but he is also in love with the now impoverished Countess Anna Staviska. And he knows she has a mercenary soul, and though she might have been attracted to him when he was her late husband's valet, she would never give herself to any man unless he had wealth.

Post-war thrillers about WWII were usually much better than anything made during the war because they could be honest about the mercenary people who had no patriotism. Such people always exist. However, I did note that the movie made a point of Diello saying that he was actually born in Albania, not England. This was supposedly based on a true story, so I do not know if that was the truth, or just added to keep the British from looking bad.

Mason and the countess get the best lines of the film, but the Germans get a bunch too as they are shown - at least at the embassy - thinking more for themselves than you would give them credit.

This is full of twists and turns, and do watch this to the very end, because the final irony is enough even to find Diello's funny bone.

One of my all time favorites among great films. I had never seen James Mason before and I became his instant fan. How very suave and cool he portrayed Diello. I cannot think of another person who could have carried that role better.His portrayal of the perfect valet was no less than a calm,ruthless spy.If I were very rich I could ask for no other man Friday than Diello. Location shooting in Turkey was quite authentic in producing the right atmosphere and all the supporting characters came across perfectly, especially the beautiful Danielle Darrieux. The story's surprise ending makes watching this thriller most satisfying and beyond just entertaining.

This World War II espionage classic has all the right elements in just the right mix: a) menacing Nazis; b) spies; c) double dealing; d) heroic characters; e) the old guard; f) noble values, g) a cliff-hanging ending; h) and just enough threatened violence to keep your palms sweaty and glued to your seat. An added plus is the exotic setting of the movie (in Turkey). It is my understanding that the director wanted to keep the movie as realistic as possible, so he filmed in locations where the action actually took place. A tag at the beginning of the film states that it is a real story. Suave James Mason is a joy to watch paired against straight-laced Michael Rennie. Don't miss this one!

Though Mank didn't take a screenplay credit his 'voice' is evident in such touches as when the German Ambassador tells Moise that Von Ribbentrop has assigned the code name 'Cicero' to Diello and remarks dryly that it is amazing that Von Ribbentrop had even heard of Cicero, or, a little earlier when the same ambassador is in conversation with the impoverished Countess Ann Staviska and assures her that after the war the German government will look after her interests and she remarks wryly that they are already looking after her Polish estates. In 1952 Mank was still firing on all cylinders and with both A Letter To Three Wives and All About Eve under his belt plus two sets of Oscars on his shelves he was able to extract lots of mileage out of this true story of espionage in neutral Turkey during the Second World War. James Mason, a fine actor in anyone's book, has his work cut out to share a screen with Danielle Darrieux, one of France's finest, but he contrives to pull out something extra to keep up with her and the result is an acting feast. It's difficult to create suspense when the outcome is known - at least to those who read the book on which it is based - but Mank is up to the task and delivers an all-round gem.

Inspired by actual events, this brisk thriller stars James Mason as an Albanian-born valet to a British Ambassador who sold Allied secrets to the Nazis during the Second World War. The flow of the film is occasionally interrupted by impersonal voice-over narration and all of the characters other than Mason's are thinly drawn, but Mason has such a dynamite character that the film still works. Of particular interest are Mason's greed motivations, pigheadedly believing himself to be more refined than a simple valet, he only ever sees himself as financing the type of lifestyle that he believes he is entitled to. Also fascinating is the way he shirks off responsibility for his actions; at one point, one Nazi questions why Mason is helping them to win the war, to which he without hesitation comments "I can't sell you the ability to make proper use of the documents"; he really genuinely believes his actions are neutral. Mason's performance only intensifies after an unexpected betrayal in the second half and the final scene makes for a very memorable finish. Also of interest are scattered scenes in which the Nazis question the validity of Mason's information; his desire for a better life is touching, but at the same time, he always seems like he has something to hide. There may not be tons to recommend '5 Fingers' beyond Mason's performance, but he makes for a surefire impressively sympathetic traitor.

Thanks to the comments here, I watched 5 Fingers and was patient until James Mason appeared. The "accents" of some of the other actors were a bit much for me at first. My patience was rewarded with an excellent film and story. James Mason was wonderful. Highly recommended, especially if you can ignore some of the more dated touches.

For some reason, this movie is virtually forgotten. Rarely showing up on TV and never mentioned in film books, I had never so much as heard of it. But being a James Mason fan, I found myself watching it one night. I was blown away. The best description I can give of this picture is that it is a Hitchcock movie without Hitchcock. Absolutely rivetting.

The first answer is because it is written by an absolute master of his craft, who penned a whole clutch of wonderful screenplays, including A Place in the Sun, The Bridge on the River Kwai, and Lawrence of Arabia, just for starters. Believe it or not !

Secondly, it is exceptionally well-shot and well-directed by another master; as well as stunningly acted by its two leads, Mason and Darrieux. The rest of the cast are workmanlike, rather than outstanding, but this merely moves the story along without irrelevant distractions. It is exceptionally slickly told, and very exciting.

Thirdly, the underlying theme is remarkably subtle and multi-facetted in its ambiguities. It is not surprising that the script-writer was blacklisted: his political sympathies are detectable. Like High Noon, from the same year, it is anything but simple and straightforward in its utterly fascinating and intriguing sub-text.

The whole point of the liaison between Mason and his pre-war employer is that it is motivated by a class-ridden hatred and desire for revenge on Mason's part, resulting in a bitter sense of humiliation experienced by Darrieux. There is no love of any kind lost between them, in spite of their mutually fake and passionless kisses. Both characters are completely amoral, but Mason is partly redeemed by his scintillating wit and sense of humour. "Knowing the length and thickness of the rope is of little use to the man about to be hanged". Marvellous line.

Sometimes the reviews of others make me weep. Mason is Albanian, not British; and Michael Rennie is British, not American. Granted, his accent is a little odd. Ten stars.

A movie about a master spy cannot get better than this. It's all there: the stupid officials, the double crossings, the beautiful, conniving lady, the big plans and an excellent, riveting suspense scene involving a dutiful Turkish cleaning woman. Alfred Hitchcock could not have done it better.

5 Fingers finds both director Joseph L. Mankiewicz and James Mason in top form. The role of an Albanian who rose to become personal butler of a British Ambassador is tailor made for that great British actor. His character Ulysses Diello is so SMUG, it is really hard not to like him. Diello has a dream that is very common and simple: He wants to get up there, in a white dinner jacket - it's absolutely disarming! French actress Danielle Darrieux gives great support and brings elegance and style to the movie.

Curious detail: The story is based on a book, recounting true events, by a former member of the German diplomatic staff in Ankara, called L. C. Moyzisch. The Moyzisch character also stars in the movie – as the principal buffoon of the picture! Would be interesting to know how the real man reacted to this movie.

(There are Spoilers) It's March 1944 and things aren't going that good for the Germans in Europe with them being thrown out of the USSR and desperately holding on to their former alley Italy holding off the allied forces there who are within artillery fire from Rome. With all this going on the Germans need all the help that they can get and they get it in the form of the valet to the Briitish ambassador to Turkey an ambitious civil servant in His Majesty's service Ulyesses Diello, James Mason. Diello has had it with his life that was going nowhere and wanted to make it big and then check out to South America, in Rio De Janeiro, and live like a king but the only way he can pull that off is by spying for the Germans and getting his hands on top secret information. Diello plans to get this secret information from his boss the British ambassador Sir Frederic, Walter Hampden, when he was outside of his office, which seems like all the time, attending as well as entertaining parties and state dinners.

Getting in touch with the attaché of the German ambassador to Turkey Count Von Papan, John Wengraf, a guy named L.C Moyzisch, played by Oskar Karlweis, Diello later given the code name, by Ambassador Von Papan, "Cicero". Diallo Impresses the German diplomat so much that Van Papan get's in touch with Berlin so he can get the go ahead to do business with him but at a price: 20,000 in British Pound Sterling.

Deillo's plan at first works flawlessly with him getting his hands on every piece of information, that always top secret, that's sent to the British ambassador. Photographing the documents and, after getting paid by the German government, Diello then sends it on to his contact,Moyzisch, in the German embassy.

Despite his ability to be secretive Deillo foolishly gets involved with the stateless and almost destitute, the Germans confiscated all her property money and holdings back in Poland, Polish Countess Anna Staviska, Danielle Darrieux. Deillo had the hots for Anna since he met her back in London before the war as her late husbands valet. Being a bit too trustworthy in a business, spying,where trust is a dirty word Diello lets his both pants and guard down and gets it where it hurts him the most both in his wallet and bank account. Diello gets zinged not only by scheming and double-crossing Countess Staviska but the German Government as well,in the end which will, like it did Diello, completely blow you away.

Tense filled and exciting movie about spying that has going for it the fact that it was based on a true story where more then anything else we see just how true the saying "Truth is stranger then fiction" really is. Diello has nerves of steel in his nerve-wrecking attempts to get a hold of British Military secrets that if caught can have him take a long walk and short drop at the end of a rope. Manipulating both sides, the German & British, in keeping him alive and free in order to find out whom his contacts are and how much he actually received and sold to both warring parties, the British and Germans, has Deillo playing for high stakes in both money as well as his life.

Even though Diello screwed a lot of people in the movie he got the royal screwing in the end with his lover the two-timing Countess Staviska checking out on him and going to neutral Switzerland with all his cash, 130,000 Pound Sterling, just when he was about to check out together with her to South America. Diello gets in touch with his contact Moyzisch, whom he'd since discarded, for one last deal in getting him, and his German boss', for a cool 100,000 Pound Sterling the plan to invade Europe by the allies, Operation Overlord, and open up a second front against Germany later that spring.

By sticking his neck out in getting the information from the British ambassador's office safe, that was rigged with an alarm, Diello blew his cover and was now a marked man by both his former employer the British Government as well as his collaborators The Germans. The two were tricked, by the sneaky Countess Staviska, into thinking that Diello was working either for the British or Germans as a double-agent giving both sides bogus information. This miscalculation on the Germans part had them throw away the actual plan by the British and US to invade France in June 1944 which if they believed and acted on it the Germans may well have prevented the allies from invading and conquering Western Europe. At the same time, with a second front no longer a reality, The Germans would have been able to defeat the Red Army and thus win the second World War.

One of the best spy films ever made not only because of the superior acting, especially by James Mason as Diello/Cicero, editing and directing. The very fact that it really happened shows just how close Hitler's Germany was in winning the Second World War even as late as the spring of 1944 when most people in the allies camp , both in government and the military, thought that the war was just about over and that Nazi Germany would be defeated by Christmas 1944 at the latest. Nazi Germany in fact held out together with it's Fhurer Adolph Hitler for five more long brutal and bloody months with just the Western Allies alone, the British & Americans, suffering well over 300,000 casualties in the desperate,by the defending Germans, and no holds bar, by both sides, battle of Western Germany until the war finally ended in Germanys total defeat in the spring of 1945.

Never trust women. You certainly can't trust the Nazis.

The ending in this film comes right out of an Alfred Hitchcock thriller.

The film is definitely a taut espionage thriller with James Mason playing a butler in the British embassy who is up to his neck in espionage. Seems he used to work for the Polish Countess Waleska (Danielle Dariux) until the bombs started falling on Poland and the count had nerve enough to die.

The two of them form a relationship where Mason steals top documents for the Nazis, and is paid well. Of course, the Nazi hooligans never trust him and eventually the film becomes one of who will do him in-England or Germany?

Michael Rennie plays a British agent. Surprising that it takes so long to see what's going on here.

This is the ultimate film in deception and duplicity. I can't give it away but Mason, as Cicero, the spy certainly has an ironic last laugh.