Five Fingers
Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Written by Michael Wilson from the novel “Operation Cicero” by L.X. Moyzisch
USA/1952
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
First viewing/Amazon Instant
[box] Ulysses Diello: There’s nothing as real as money.[/box]
Somehow I had never heard of this excellent spy movie before I started this exercise. It was really worth waiting for,
I came in knowing almost nothing about it and think that only added to the fun. The film is based on a true story and takes place in Ankara, Turkey in 1944. Turkey is neutral and both Germany and Britain maintain Embassies there and their diplomats socialize at the same parties. The impoverished Countess Anna Staviska (Danielle Darrieux), the French widow of a Polish count, has cordial relationships with both the French and German Ambassadors. As the movie begins, she reveals she is so hard up that she will work as a spy for the Germans in exchange for their financial support. The German ambassador declines her offer.
One day Ulysses Diello (James Mason) approaches a German Embassy official offering to sell Most Secret and Top Secret British documents for 20,000 pounds. He declines to reveal his identity. After much internal discussion, the Germans decide they will bite. The documents prove to be apparently genuine and, if so, extremely valuable and Diello is paid. The Germans are quite suspicious but continue accepting installments of the material at 15,000 pounds per delivery. Meanwhile, they send a counter-espionage expert in the guise of a Swiss business man to Ankara to try to determine Diello’s identity and reliability.
It is not revealing to much to say that Diello is the trusted valet to the British Ambassador. He has a giant chip on his shoulder and dreams of being a gentleman. He also dreams of becoming the lover of Countess Staviska, whose husband he formerly served as a valet. She begins letting him use her villa for his “business meetings”. I think I will stop right there. This movie is full of delicious twists and irony. With Michael Rennie as the British counter-espionage expert.
I don’t think James Mason ever gave a bad performance. This is no exception. I like Darrieux better every time I see her. She handles English very well. It is the writing, however, that was the star for me. The Diello character is a very cynical type and gets off some great one-liners. The story is intricate and absorbing. The film features a menacing Bernard Herrmann score. Recommended and currently available on YouTube.
Five Fingers was nominated for Academy Awards in the categories of Best Director and Best Writing, Screenplay.
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