Although primarily a TV director, Christian Nyby did do three or four theatrical features, most notably – and most controversially, "The Thing" (1951), which many people (including me) would actually assign to Howard Hawks. Unfortunately, for me, "Operation C.I.A." doesn't prove anything one way or the other. Most of the movie is very routinely – even most untalentedly and most unimaginatively – directed. But then Nyby (or some uncredited specialist), ring in a really rousing chase climax, with the players actually performing their own stunts! And that certainly lifts this "B"-grade thriller to at least the 60% mark. I'd always hoped that one of these days, someone would confess and tell us what really happened on "The Thing". As I inferred above, it's my best guess that producer Hawks actually directed and that Nyby assisted with the action spots.
Review of Operation C.I.A.
