The Counterfeit Traitor (1962)

Blacklisted in modern day WW2, a Swedish oil trader opts to assist British Allies, by means of infiltrating and surveying Nazi Germany.

Director:

George Seaton

Writers:

Alexander Klein (based on the book by), George Seaton (written for the screen by)

Stars:

William Holden, Lilli Palmer, Hugh Griffith

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
William Holden	...	Eric Erickson
Lilli Palmer	...	Frau Marianne Möllendorf
Hugh Griffith	...	Collins
Carl Raddatz	...	Otto Holtz
Ernst Schröder	...	Baron Gerhard von Oldenburg
Charles Regnier	...	Wilhelm Kortner
Ingrid van Bergen	...	Hulda Windler
Wolfgang Preiss	...	Col. Nordoff
Werner Peters	...	Bruno Ulrich
Erica Beer	...	Klara Holtz
Stefan Schnabel	...	Gestapo Agent at Funeral
Klaus Kinski	...	Kindler
Erik Schumann	...	Nazi Gunboat Officer (as Erik Schuman)
Poul Reichhardt	...	Fishing Boat Skipper
John Wittig	...	Sven

Storyline

An American oil company executive of Swedish descent, now living in Sweden, is blackmailed into spying for the Allies during World War II. At first resentful, his relationship with a beautiful German Allied agent causes him to realize how vital his work is. When he learns that his anti-Nazi German associates are under suspicion from the Gestapo, he risks his own life to go back inside Nazi Germany to finish his work and try to save his friends. It's an exciting story with great characters, filmed partly in the locations where the story took place.

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Plot Keywords:

spy | copenhagen denmark | reference to adolf hitler | surveillance | city in ruins | 

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Taglines:

The Most Suspenseful Adventure Ever Lived!

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Genres:

Drama | History | Thriller | War

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The German spy for the OSS, Frau Marianne Möllendorf in the movie, was a real person whom Erickson fell in love with. Her real name was Anne-Maria Freudenreich. The Swedish national archives in Stockholm have photographs and letters Erickson received from her.

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Goofs

In the Copenhagen street scenes of Danish bicyclists blocking the Gestapo truck pursuing Erickson and the underground leaders, a blue-and-white late '50s car can briefly be seen in the background in one shot.

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Quotes

Eric Erickson: Suddenly, he becomes your brother.

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Crazy Credits

Opening card: We wish to express our gratitude to the city governments of Stockholm, Copenhagen, Hamburg, and West Berlin whose co-operation made it possible to photograph the authentic locales in the re-creation of this true story. It begins in Stockholm, 1942...

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Connections

Referenced in Hollywood Without Make-Up (1963)

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Soundtracks

Marianna
Music by Alfred Newman
Lyrics by Paul Francis Webster

User Reviews

Holden is Great

Last night I saw Executive Suite with William Holden and Fredrich March. I expected it to be a great movie and it was. Tonight I noticed AMC is playing another Holden movie entitled Counterfeit Traitor. I watched it and it turned out to be grippy and suspenseful and Holden was great. I have seen great films with Holden including Picnic, Bridge on the River Kwai and Sunset Boulevard. This was supposed to be one of his inferior work, but I actually liked it better than some of his better known films. It's too bad that at the end of his career he made movies such as Omen II and Ashtani. In any case, he was fabulous here and I am looking forward to see other films with him.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Danish German

Release Date:

2 July 1962 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

The Counterfeit Traitor

Filming Locations:

Travemünde, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

Company Credits

Production Co:

Perlberg-Seaton Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

140 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1