Five Graves to Cairo
Directed by Billy Wilder
Written by Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett based on the Lajos Biró play Hotel Imperial
1943/USA
Paramount Pictures
Repeat viewing/TCM DVD

[box] Lt. Schwegler: Our complaints are brief. We make them against the nearest wall.[/box]

[box] On the first day that director Billy Wilder’s hero, Erich von Stroheim arrived on set, Wilder ran to the wardrobe department to welcome him. He said: “This is a very big moment in my life . . . that I should now be directing the great Stroheim. Your problem, I guess, was that you were ten years ahead of your time.” Von Stroheim replied: “Twenty.” — from the IMDb trivia[/box]

Billy Wilder’s second directorial effort has little of his characteristic humor or cynicism.  It is, however, a very well-made and entertaining spy story, light on the propaganda for its period.

Cpl. John Bramble (Franchot Tone) has fallen behind the retreating British Army in his tank. He is the sole survivor and manages to stagger to The Empress of Britain hotel in the Egyptian Desert.  The last occupants of this hotel are its Egyptian owner Farid (Akim Tamiroff) and French chambermaid Mouche (Anne Baxter).  Everyone else has either fled or been killed in a recent German bombing raid.  Farid takes pity on the soon unconscious Bramble over the strong objection of Mouche, who resents the British for  “leaving behind French soldiers when they evacuated Dunkirk.” Then the German army arrives escorting Field Marshall Rommel (Eric von Stroheim) whose men commandeer the hotel as a headquarters.  They are well-informed on the staff of the hotel.

Bramble manages to hide himself.  Then, somewhat miraculously (given his strong American accent), he manages to convince the Germans that he is the Alsatian waiter Davos.  Davos just so happened to have been a German spy, now laying under a ton of rubble in the cellar, and is accepted by the High Command with open arms.

More Germans arrive with some British POWs, including high officers.  A la von Rauffenstein in Grand Illusion, Rommel dines with his prisoners and goads them with lots of information about his strategy.  Bramble has previously overheard talk about the five graves to Cairo.  He had planned to assassinate Rommel with a stolen gun but the British tell him that dead men have no secrets and he should try to ascertain the German battle plan instead.

So begins Bramble’s dangerous quest for the story of the five graves.  In the meantime, Mouche is trying to get her wounded younger brother out of a German POW camp. Rommel refuses her but his lying, idealogue aide-de-camp promises to try to help her in exchange for her favors.  While there is any chance that her wish be granted, Mouche is decidedly unhelpful to Bramble.

Despite the fact that the story relies heavily on the naiveté of the Germans and some incredible coincidences, it is exciting and enjoyable.  The stand-out performance is given by the fiery Baxter, who manages to maintain her French accent admirably unlike the other actors who either don’t try (Tone) or try and fail (von Stroheim).  I always like to watch Tamiroff.  I think by the time he was through he portrayed every nationality possible. The production is top-notch with beautiful low-key lighting.  The Germans, especially Rommel, are extremely reasonable for a movie of this era though we do get some patriotic, morale-boosting speeches out of Bramble by the end.

Five Graves to Cairo was nominated for Academy Awards in three categories:  Best Cinematography, Black-and-White (John F. Seitz); Best Art Direction-Interior Decoration, Black-and-White; and Best Film Editing.

Trailer