Chef de réseau

A high ranking German wehrmacht officer, General Schottland (Jack Hawkins) who has access to Hitler is actually a British spy feeding information back to the Allies and uses a clockmaker (Felix Aylmer) as a go-between.

Although the film claims to be a true story "inspired by" it is sadly anything but. The real life Alexander Scotland was a British spy in the First World War and did not have access to the Kaiser, although he did pose as an officer in the German army and did meet Hitler in 1937. In the Second World War he was in charge of overseeing the interrogatin of German PoWs. Otherwise the film has little relation to actual events and is pure fiction but is a good suspenseful war thriller.

At times the film does seem far fetched, but is good entertainment none the less with some quality moments of suspense.

This is an exciting movie! I could not imagine that it can be so good. Jack Hawkins is incredibly good in the role of Gen. Alex Schottland and Gia Scala has charm and is very natural in the role of the singer Lily Geyr, some kind of Mata-Hari. A unique movie in the genre Drama, Thriller, War, an exceptional achievement from all points of view.

First of all, thanks to DavidGPS of GB for rectifying what we already knew - that Germany pioneered magnetic tape in the late 1930s. Now lets get to this little-known Jack Hawkins film. Andre DeToth made some excellent movies in his time, but this true story was as gritty as it got in 1958. There are some very hard to stomach scenes of a tyrannical and evil police state at war - not for the squeamish or children, by any means. Among the greatest of WWII movies, Hawkins depicts General Schottland, a British native of German decent who came back to the Fatherland during WW1 and fought in the German ranks. As a result, he was able to infiltrate the German High Command and even became trusted by Hitler. As he became a valued and important source of information to the British, he also endangered himself and all those who helped him. There were some really great WWII movies, but this one has you on the edge of your seat and riveted to the screen for the entire duration. Definitely my favorite Jack Hawkins movie of all time, and hats off to DeToth for daring to be so bold as to show how ruthless the Nazis really were.

The opening scene of "the two-Headed Spy" has a script that dedicates the film. It reads, "To those men of the Intelligence Service who worked in secrecy. Who struggled and died in darkness. To those lonely and courageous men who risked their lives daily in the enemy camp. This picture is dedicated. And, to one of those men, Colonel A. P. Scotland, O.B.E., British Intelligence Service, whose exploits over the past half century inspired this story. We wish to express our thanks."

Indeed, the background of Alexander Scotland is very interesting. Here was an early implementer of interrogation methods, as well as a highly experienced spy. That's a story worth looking into. Scotland served as adviser for this film. While he had posed as lower ranking German officers and NCOs in World War I and at other times, he said he never was a high-ranking German official. Yet, when one notices some similarities in this film, it does raise a question.

This film stars Jack Hawkins in a fictitious plot as just such a British spy. Gen. Alex Schotland was a British agent who served in the German Army of WW I. But, unlike most in the espionage business, after the war he didn't come out. He stayed in Germany, kept his military affiliation and identity, and when the Nazis began a rise to power, he jumped on the train.

This is a very good and interesting look at how such high level direct espionage might have looked. One quickly comes to the conclusion that the best way to advance and get on the good graces inside the Nazi hierarchy was to agree with Hitler and promise that his every command could be carried out. Especially, if that went against the reasoned, experienced generals, regardless of how bad was Hitler's position. Anyway, that's how Schottland does it here.

A distant romantic connection is provided by Gia Scala who plays Lili Geyr, a renowned German singer and entertainer of troops. The story has an interesting ending. Scala made a few very good films and had a promising career in movies and television. But, she suffered from depression and began drinking heavily. She underwent frequent psychiatric treatment. On April 30, 1972, she died from an overdose of alcohol and sleeping pills.

I didn't start out thinking I was going to like The Two-Headed Spy. I thought it was going to be another WW2 spy movie that would be too wordy and more boring than exciting. By the time the first half hour had passed, I was positively riveted!

Jack Hawkins is a German general, and is very well-respected among his fellow Nazis. Then, he's seen entering an antiques shop and speaking to Donald Pleasance about a rare clock he's looking to buy. The conversation about a clock is merely a ruse until they know they're alone and unobserved—Jack Hawkins is really an undercover British agent!

Previously, I'd only seen Jack Hawkins in a supporting role in Ben-Hur, but he carries off the leading role very well, commanding the screen and expressing every emotion with confidence. The Two-Headed Spy is a very riveting spy movie, with countless tension-filled scenes in which someone could—or does—get caught, discovered, and punished for being a spy. It really is an interesting, overlooked film from the 50s. Gia Scala, another of Jack's contacts, is beautiful and strong, rather like a prettier, more likable Ingrid Bergman. Had this film starred more well-known actors, it would probably be a classic. As it is, it's highly entertaining and fun—rent it for a thrilling evening with your sweetie-pie. The ladies won't be bored with this one, I guarantee it. And, if you're looking closely enough, you can see Michael Caine in one of his earliest movies. He's only on the screen for a couple of minutes, but when you hear the Nazi speaking with a Cockney accent, you can tell it's him!