IMDb RATING
7.7/10
4.6K
YOUR RATING
During WWII the valet to the British Ambassador to Ankara sells British secrets to the Germans while trying to romance a refugee Polish countess.During WWII the valet to the British Ambassador to Ankara sells British secrets to the Germans while trying to romance a refugee Polish countess.During WWII the valet to the British Ambassador to Ankara sells British secrets to the Germans while trying to romance a refugee Polish countess.
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
4.6K
YOUR RATING
- Director
- Writers
- Michael Wilson(screenplay)
- L.C. Moyzisch(book "Operation Cicero")
- Joseph L. Mankiewicz(uncredited)
- Stars
Top credits
- Director
- Writers
- Michael Wilson(screenplay)
- L.C. Moyzisch(book "Operation Cicero")
- Joseph L. Mankiewicz(uncredited)
- Stars
- Nominated for 2 Oscars
- 3 wins & 4 nominations total
Videos1
Ben Astar
- Siebertas Siebert
- (as A. Ben Astar)
Diane Adrian
- Singer on French Recordas Singer on French Record
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
Salvador Baguez
- Ship's Captainas Ship's Captain
- (uncredited)
David Bauer
- Da Costaas Da Costa
- (uncredited)
Maurice Brierre
- Minor Roleas Minor Role
- (uncredited)
Alexis Davidoff
- Turk Guardas Turk Guard
- (uncredited)
Lawrence Dobkin
- Santosas Santos
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- Michael Wilson(screenplay)
- L.C. Moyzisch(book "Operation Cicero")
- Joseph L. Mankiewicz(uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- See more cast details at IMDbPro
Storyline
Based on a true story. In neutral Turkey during WWII, the ambitious and extremely efficient valet for the British ambassador tires of being a servant and forms a plan to promote himself to rich gentleman of leisure. His employer has many secret documents; he will photograph them, and with the help of a refugee Countess, sell them to the Nazis. When he makes a certain amount of money, he will retire to South America with the Countess as his wife. —Ken Yousten <kyousten@bev.net>
- Taglines
- 5 FINGERS...BEHIND THEM THE FABULOUS TRUE EXPLOITS OF THE HIGHEST PAID SPY IN HISTORY! (original print ad - all caps)
- Genres
- Certificate
- Approved
- Parents guide
Did you know
- TriviaThe real Cicero was Elyesa Bazna, an Albanian. In his book "I Was Cicero" he retells the story, listing his collaborators as a chambermaid and his niece. The character of the countess was a Hollywood fabrication.
- GoofsWhen the Britsh ambassador's valet Diello (Brit James Mason) suggests that his new German spymaster change the combination on the latter's safe, he gives the existing combination 1-30-33 as based on the date of Hitler's rise to power, suggesting instead 6-18-15, the date of the Battle of Waterloo. One would expect an employee of the Britsh Embassy (particularly one born in the UK) to have used "European" notation (date/month/year) instead of US notation (month/day/year), particularly when speaking with a German.
- Quotes
Count Franz Von Papen: I've often wondered, Countess - why did you leave Warsaw?
Countess Anna Staviska: Bombs were falling. I felt I was in the way.
- Crazy creditsBefore the movie title: This is a true story. All the exterior scenes in this picture were filmed in the locales associated with the story.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Bulworth (1998)
Top review
Cool, underrated suspense film
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.
helpful•403
- Rosabel
- Jul 14, 1999
Details
Box office
- Gross worldwide
- $46,317
- Runtime1 hour 48 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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