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The Man Who Never Was (1956)
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Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
9 May 1956 (France) moreTagline:
The most fiendish plot ever conceived! The most amazing "human being" ever created! The most diabolical phantom-- morePlot:
True story of a British attempt to trick the enemy into weakening Sicily's defenses before the 1943 attack, using a dead man with faked papers. full summary | add synopsisAwards:
Won BAFTA Film Award. Another 4 nominations moreUser Comments:
Rock-Solid Spy Thriller more (36 total)Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Clifton Webb | ... | Lt. Cmdr. Ewen Montagu | |
| Gloria Grahame | ... | Lucy Sherwood | |
| Robert Flemyng | ... | Lt. George Acres | |
| Josephine Griffin | ... | Pam | |
| Stephen Boyd | ... | Patrick O'Reilly | |
| Laurence Naismith | ... | Adm. Cross | |
| Geoffrey Keen | ... | Gen. Nye | |
| Moultrie Kelsall | ... | The Father | |
| Cyril Cusack | ... | Taxi driver | |
| André Morell | ... | Sir Bernard Spilsbury | |
| Michael Hordern | ... | Gen. Coburn | |
| Allan Cuthbertson | ... | Vice-Admiral | |
| Joan Hickson | ... | Landlady | |
| Terence Longdon | ... | Larry (as Terence Longden) | |
| Gibb McLaughlin | ... | Club porter |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parentsRuntime:
103 minCountry:
UKColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
2.55 : 1 moreFun Stuff
Trivia:
Ewen Montagu, the officer who was in charge of Operation Mincemeat, has a small cameo role as an air marshal. moreGoofs:
Boom mic visible: The scene is where William Martin's father is saying good-bye to his body in the hospital and talking with Ewen Montagu. As the father leaves the room, the shadow of the mike is well in shot on the wall behind him. moreQuotes:
[The military needs a dead body for counterintelligence.]Lieutenant Commander Ewen Montagu: I can assure you that this is an opportunity for your son to do a great thing for England.
The Father: My son, sir, was a Scotsman. Very proud of it.
Lieutenant Commander Ewen Montagu: I beg your pardon?
The Father: Never mind. We're used to that. You English always talk about England when you mean Britain.
more
Soundtrack:
Bless 'em All moreFAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (36 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Man Who Never Was (1956)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
|---|---|
| Outstanding WW 2 Movie | richsass |
| Question re: the 'love letter' | sticks114 |
| film editing | j_chy |
| Major Martin's True Identity | colin-barron |
| Irony? | sirk46 |
| Why 7.3? | candries-1 |
Recommendations
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The name Ronald Neame does not mean anything to most people, but looking at this director's filmography, I'm surprised to find out that I like most of his films (Neame's "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" and "Tunes of Glory" are two movies I admire). "The Man Who Never Was" is one of Neame's less known films, but I think it is one of his most enticing productions. This fact-based story is about a fascinating British plot to divert the Nazis' attention during World War II. The film is exceptionally well-constructed, very old-fashioned, but also very, very suspenseful. It is one of those intense movies that keep viewers glued to the TV screen. Clifton Webb is the officer in charge of carrying out the complicated mission, Stephen Boyd is an Irishman working as a spy for the Germans, and Gloria Grahame is the woman who (unknowingly) becomes part of the charade to fool the evil Nazis. They are all excellent. Oswald Morris' color cinematography looks great on DVD. I don't want to sound like Sally Field but, "I liked it, I liked it, I really liked it". Highly recommended, especially if you have access to the DVD.