In order to fool the Germans into thinking the Allied invasion of Sicily will take place elsewhere, British Military Intelligence comes up with a cunning ruse.
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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 | |
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Plot Summary
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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 Britain 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 Strangest Military Hoax of World War II! See more »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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Lucy Sherwood: Why am I always your "alleged friend"?
Pam: George has never been quite sure that you exist.
Lucy Sherwood: Oh, I exist all right. It's about all I do.
Lieutenant George Acres: [lighting her cigarette] There's no doubt about that!
Lieutenant Commander Ewen Montagu: This is very interesting. From his attitude in the office, one would never suspect that George was such a fast worker.
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(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
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Did You Know?
Trivia
Mentioned and described in the short story "The Lives of the Dead", by Tim O'Brien, appearing in the collection "The Things They Carried". See more »Goofs
When Lucy is stamping books at the library, the sound occurs just slightly before the stamp connects with each book. See more »Quotes
Pam: I think my alleged friend wants a light.Lucy Sherwood: Why am I always your "alleged friend"?
Pam: George has never been quite sure that you exist.
Lucy Sherwood: Oh, I exist all right. It's about all I do.
Lieutenant George Acres: [lighting her cigarette] There's no doubt about that!
Lieutenant Commander Ewen Montagu: This is very interesting. From his attitude in the office, one would never suspect that George was such a fast worker.
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 »
It's around Labor Day of 1943, the Afrika Korps has been kicked out of North Africa, what to do next for the Allies. In point of fact the next logical thing to do was what was done, invade Sicily and clear the route to the Suez Canal and take the pressure of the embattled British forces in Malta.
But there were policy differences because Americans wanted a cross channel invasion back then as the quickest way to defeat Hitler. So the Germans did in fact have to be vigilant on all fronts.
The Man Who Never Was is a true story on a particular intelligence gambit that was tried. A dead body was washed up in neutral, but Axis led Spain. A body selected for the occasion and dropped deliberately by the British showing alternate plans to the Axis.
Not being complete dummies the Germans naturally think to check it out and they send an agent in, a Nazi sympathizer from Ireland played by Stephen Boyd.
The whole idea was cooked up by Admiral Ewen Montagu played here by Clifton Webb who drops his usual acerbic manner and delivers a very good performance against type. Boyd's no fool and it becomes a battle of wits when the Allies learn of his presence in London.
In fact a certain sad, but serendipitous event in the life of Gloria Grahame who is Webb's secretary's roommate plays a key role in the proceedings.
The Man Who Never Was is a very good wartime espionage drama that still holds up very well for today's audience.