"I Was Monty's Double" dramatises a remarkable true story from World War II. M. E. Clifton James, a Lieutenant serving with the Royal Army Pay Corps (the British Army's financial department) and an actor in civilian life, was recruited by military intelligence to impersonate General Bernard Montgomery, to whom he bore a close resemblance. The reason was that the Allies were attempting to deceive the Germans by spreading false rumours that the D-Day landings would take place in the South of France rather than Normandy. To make such rumours credible it was essential that the Germans should be led to believe that Montgomery, Britain's leading General, was in North Africa, the obvious launch-pad for any such invasion.
At the time it was essential that this scheme be kept secret, and Clifton James received no official recognition for his role. Ten years later, when the ban on public discussion of wartime operations had expired, he wrote an autobiography which revealed the story and became a best-seller. In the film he plays two roles- himself and Montgomery. This, unfortunately, means that one key scene, when Monty meets his double in order to encourage him, cannot be shown in the film. With modern computer trickery it would today be quite easy to have the same actor playing two different characters in the same scene, and even in 1958 it would probably have been technically possible. ("The Parent Trap", made by Disney only three years later, features several scenes in which Hayley Mills plays identical twin sisters and therefore appears to be in two places at once). Doubtless, however, the makers of a low-budget British film like this one did not have the same financial resources available to them as the Disney organisation.
In real life Clifton James was discovered by the actor David Niven, who was serving as a British Army officer at the time, but he does not appear in the film and no mention is made of his role. (Perhaps the producers couldn't afford him- by 1958 he had become a major international star and doubtless could command large fees). Instead credit for the operation is given to two fictitious intelligence officers, Colonel Logan and Major Harvey, played by Cecil Parker and John Mills. Mills was a regular star of British war movies, generally playing officer types.
"How-we-won-the-war" movies about true wartime episodes were a standard feature of the British cinema in the fifties, and varied greatly in quality. Most of these, however, featured combat operations of one type or another. "I Was Monty's Double" is a war film of a rather different type. Its one descent into standard heroics comes at the end, when Harvey has to foil an attempt by German commandos to kidnap Clifton James in the mistaken belief that he is the real Monty. (This is also the film's one major departure from historical facts. Although the Germans did have plans to assassinate Montgomery while he was in Alexandria, these were never put into effect). For most of its length the film's dramatic tension derives from Clifton James' own inner struggle to conquer his doubts and fears. Although he has little difficulty imitating Montgomery's voice and mannerisms, he finds it more of a struggle to convey the great man's personality. One particular difficulty he faces is that while he is both a heavy drinker and smoker, Montgomery was famously teetotal and a militant non-smoker, so he can never publicly be seen with a drink or a cigarette in his hand.
It is strongly implied in the movie that Clifton James was not a great success as a theatre actor and spent most of his career as an understudy. This film, however, was to provide him with one great success near the end of his life. (He was to die five years later). If not quite in the class of something like "The Dambusters", it is one of the better "How-we-won-the-war" movies, and gives an insight into the work of the vital role of military intelligence, something often overlooked in the cinema. 7/10
At the time it was essential that this scheme be kept secret, and Clifton James received no official recognition for his role. Ten years later, when the ban on public discussion of wartime operations had expired, he wrote an autobiography which revealed the story and became a best-seller. In the film he plays two roles- himself and Montgomery. This, unfortunately, means that one key scene, when Monty meets his double in order to encourage him, cannot be shown in the film. With modern computer trickery it would today be quite easy to have the same actor playing two different characters in the same scene, and even in 1958 it would probably have been technically possible. ("The Parent Trap", made by Disney only three years later, features several scenes in which Hayley Mills plays identical twin sisters and therefore appears to be in two places at once). Doubtless, however, the makers of a low-budget British film like this one did not have the same financial resources available to them as the Disney organisation.
In real life Clifton James was discovered by the actor David Niven, who was serving as a British Army officer at the time, but he does not appear in the film and no mention is made of his role. (Perhaps the producers couldn't afford him- by 1958 he had become a major international star and doubtless could command large fees). Instead credit for the operation is given to two fictitious intelligence officers, Colonel Logan and Major Harvey, played by Cecil Parker and John Mills. Mills was a regular star of British war movies, generally playing officer types.
"How-we-won-the-war" movies about true wartime episodes were a standard feature of the British cinema in the fifties, and varied greatly in quality. Most of these, however, featured combat operations of one type or another. "I Was Monty's Double" is a war film of a rather different type. Its one descent into standard heroics comes at the end, when Harvey has to foil an attempt by German commandos to kidnap Clifton James in the mistaken belief that he is the real Monty. (This is also the film's one major departure from historical facts. Although the Germans did have plans to assassinate Montgomery while he was in Alexandria, these were never put into effect). For most of its length the film's dramatic tension derives from Clifton James' own inner struggle to conquer his doubts and fears. Although he has little difficulty imitating Montgomery's voice and mannerisms, he finds it more of a struggle to convey the great man's personality. One particular difficulty he faces is that while he is both a heavy drinker and smoker, Montgomery was famously teetotal and a militant non-smoker, so he can never publicly be seen with a drink or a cigarette in his hand.
It is strongly implied in the movie that Clifton James was not a great success as a theatre actor and spent most of his career as an understudy. This film, however, was to provide him with one great success near the end of his life. (He was to die five years later). If not quite in the class of something like "The Dambusters", it is one of the better "How-we-won-the-war" movies, and gives an insight into the work of the vital role of military intelligence, something often overlooked in the cinema. 7/10