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.
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Title: The Man Who Never Was (1956)
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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. Cockburn | |
| Allan Cuthbertson | ... | Vice-Admiral | |
| Joan Hickson | ... | Landlady | |
| Terence Longdon | ... | Larry (as Terence Longden) | |
| Gibb McLaughlin | ... | Club Porter | |
Edit
Plot Summary
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Add Synopsis
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Storyline
British Intelligence during World War II is trying to get the German High Command to shift its forces away from Italy prior to the invasion. To create the illusion that England is in fact planning to invade Greece, they plan to procure a dead body, plant secret papers on it, and arrange for the Spanish authorities to find it and send the papers on to the Germans. That's the plan, anyway. First they have to find a body that will look drowned, then create an identity for it that will pass German scrutiny. Based on a true story. Written by John Vogel <jlvogel@comcast.net>
Plot Keywords:
dead body | world war two | based on true story | europe | espionage |Taglines:
The most fiendish plot ever conceived! The most amazing "human being" ever created! The most diabolical phantom-- See more »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See full technical specs »
Details
Release Date:
9 May 1956 (France) See more »Also Known As:
Der Mann, den es nie gab See more »Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Color:
ColorAspect Ratio:
2.55 : 1
Edit
Lieutenant George Acres: And he went to the theatre. Final celebration. He has the stubs of the tickets in his pocket.
Lieutenant Commander Ewen Montagu: Item: two theatre tickets.
Lieutenant George Acres: Make it four, and for something worth seeing.
Lieutenant Commander Ewen Montagu: And what's going on in that bright little mind?
Lieutenant George Acres: Well, we've got to buy the tickets anyway, and Willie can't use them -- we might as well!...
See more »
(uncredited)
Written by Fred Godfrey (1917)
Revised lyrics by Jimmy Hughes and Frank Lake (1940)
Additional lyrics by Al Stillman (1941)
Sung by the patrons of pub
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
In a rare straight role, an uncredited Peter Sellers impersonated the voice of British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill. See more »Goofs
Though the film is set in 1943, contemporary cars can be seen in a couple of location shots in London: when Montagu and Admiral Cross come out from their meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1950s cars parked in the background); and again when O'Reilly is sitting on the park bench ('50s cars pass on the street behind). See more »Quotes
Lieutenant Commander Ewen Montagu: Now, about dates. There's got to be something on him that will show when he left. I think I can fix to get a receipted bill from the Naval and Military Club -- he stayed there on his last night.Lieutenant George Acres: And he went to the theatre. Final celebration. He has the stubs of the tickets in his pocket.
Lieutenant Commander Ewen Montagu: Item: two theatre tickets.
Lieutenant George Acres: Make it four, and for something worth seeing.
Lieutenant Commander Ewen Montagu: And what's going on in that bright little mind?
Lieutenant George Acres: Well, we've got to buy the tickets anyway, and Willie can't use them -- we might as well!...
See more »
Crazy Credits
Military security and respect for a solemn promise have made it necessary to disguise the identity of some of the characters in this film; but in all other essentials this is the true story of "Major William Martin" See more »Soundtracks
Bless 'em All(uncredited)
Written by Fred Godfrey (1917)
Revised lyrics by Jimmy Hughes and Frank Lake (1940)
Additional lyrics by Al Stillman (1941)
Sung by the patrons of pub
See more »
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Based on "Operation Mincemeat" during World War II, this film is an excellent example of a spy movie that is interesting without being gimmicky or melodramatic. An excellent cast is headed by the redoubtable Clifton Webb. The elaborate plot to trick Nazis by using a corpse masquerading as a dead Royal Marine officer is amazing in its detail. The film is all the more astonishing because it is based on the actual ruse to deceive the enemy into thinking that the invasion of Italy would take place in a location other than where it actually happened. A good film for espionage lovers.