O Homem que Nunca Existiu

This is a well-crafted movie adaptation of a very interesting story of intrigue from World War II, adapting the historical events enough so as to make them work cinematically without changing the most important aspects of what actually happened. The wealth of detail is interesting in itself, and it is also used well in enhancing the realism of the story.

Clifton Webb stars as the British officer who comes up with the scheme of using "The Man Who Never Was" to trick the Germans into weakening their defenses in Sicily before the planned Allied invasion there. Webb gets to show flashes of his well-known screen sarcasm, but in general he gives a good low-key, all-business performance.

The story divides fairly equally into two parts, first showing the careful development and implementation of the plan, and then following a Nazi investigator (played with believable coldness by Stephen Boyd) as he tries to determine the truth about 'Major Martin'.

The first part is particularly filled with interesting details, and the script very nicely fits them all in without seeming slow or boring. The second part gradually builds up tension, and combines it with the seemingly unrelated tensions in the life of Gloria Grahame's character, bringing things together in a good sequence that sets up the finale while also bringing out some worthwhile thoughts that go beyond the story itself. It all works quite well, both as a historical dramatization and as a story of deception and intrigue.

"The Man Who Never Was" is a wonderfully suspenseful, well-done World War II drama starring Clifton Webb, Gloria Grahame, and Stephen Boyd. Superbly directed by Ronald Neame, the film is based on a true story - the planting of a dead body washed onto the Greek shore, which carries papers which will redirect the Axis away from an invasion of Italy planned by the Allies. In order to carry out this hoax, the Allies need the body of a man who died of pneumonia, which will mimic a drowning and fool the Nazis. The scene where such a man is located and Clifton Webb talks to the father is one of the most touching of the film, as is the poignant ending.

For all the accolades about his acting, it still seems that Clifton Webb is under-appreciated today - he goes from a vicious, fey gossip in "The Razor's Edge" to a difficult husband in "Titanic" to a strong, decisive, distinguished member of British Intelligence in this movie flawlessly. He is perfect as Montague. Stephen Boyd is excellent as an Irishman working undercover for the Nazis who appears in London to verify the existence of the dead soldier, who is given a fake identity. Gloria Grahame plays a woman who unexpectedly falls in love and winds up as part of the plot. She turns in a heartbreaking performance. The rest of the cast is uniformly good.

The movie's excitement comes not from action but from the tension of the situation. It's filmed in beautiful color. An excellent movie.

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.

The story is true, which gives it power and makes it more interesting. But what really captivated me was the utterly superb directing. Each scene is so well balanced, and then flows with such continuity into the next, and on and on. You almost feel as if you are right there witnessing it all.

But that's not all. The lighting, color, props, nuances, everything in the film, are in perfect harmony at all times. But what of the actors? They indeed render excellent performances. But they, too, are so masterfully directed, they never fail in conveying the mood and tone, even the undertone, from start to finish.

Then Gloria Grahame has a weepy scene where she evolves ever so masterfully from recall of emotional trauma, to reliving the trauma, to gradually bringing out true tears at the most perfect "rate of flow." I have never seen better crying! Knowing that she has also played light comedy reveals even deeper dimensions of her acting ability, to see her go from straight-faced to really weeping, then genuine prolonged sobbing.

Even if the story were not captivating, the directing and photography will catch your eye and you will not be able to flip the channel until this production masterpiece is over.

There is a book out this year (2010) by Ben Macintyre that sheds new light on Operation Mincemeat, based on some declassified documents. The movie does a good job of portraying the story for the screen. Macintyre reveals that the "body" that was dumped in the sea was a young impoverished Welsh coal minor who, either as suicide or out of hunger, ate some rat poison spread on bread in a London tenement as a vermin trap. When the body was recovered by the Spanish fisherman, the "papers" were almost given back to the British. They had to fabricate radio traffic on "compromised" lines to draw the attention of the Germans to the documents. "Oh, yoo-hoo! Look over here!" Lastly, the "papers" had the good fortune to fall into the hands of a Colonel in German intelligence who was a member of the German Resistance. He doubted their authenticity, but sold the Nazi hierarchy on their genuineness. He was hung by the SS in July of 1944 after the failed plot against Hitler.

Just some interesting historical amplification for a fine 50-year old movie.