The Man Who Never Was (1956)

Save your money for something good and enjoyable

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

Watching it is like watching the spectacle of a class clown at their best: you laugh at their jokes, instigate their defiance, and "ooooh" when they get in trouble.

Clifton Webb is the embodiment of the stiff upper lip, never displaying undue emotions even at a sidesplitting London play. He doesn't just walk across a room, he marches. His impeccably trimmed, reddish beard looks particularly unruffled even while driving his classic, British-made MG roadster.The sets and locations are excellent. The care with which they are chosen and the way they are lighted and shot is reminiscent of Neame's The Odessa File (1974). That Oswald Morris was director of photography on both films is probably not a coincidence.A definitive scene takes place in a claustrophobic basement morgue lined with glistening white tiles. A body is being dressed. While they work, somewhere above them an air raid begins, moves closer, passes and ends. A woman screams. A dog barks. Very little is said and only the slightest gestures indicate their concern for the events going on above. But it is clear that they are very aware of the raid and of how what they are doing could alleviate some of the atrocity of the war.These are a different kind of man. Not gung-ho, hell-for-leather GIs but thoughtful men who remain rational and well-grounded. This is what will get them through this project and this war.

I really enjoyed and appreciated this excellent film, that is based on a true British disinformation plan during W W II, code named Operation Mincemeat. The plan by British Intelligence was to deceive the German high command into thinking the Allied invasion of Sicily would take place elsewhere. The successful hoax was achieved by attaching " Top Secret " documents on a corpse deliberately left to wash up on a beach in Spain. This intriguing story is well played out in fine detail, in " The Man Who Never Was, " with the screenplay staying close to the truth, along with the addition of some well placed fiction, for example the Irish spy in the film is a complete fabrication. Stephen Boyd plays the part of Patrick O'Reilly the fictitious spy, while the real Ewen Montagu declared that he was happy with the fictitious incidents which, although they didn't happen, might have happened. Clifton Webb was an outstanding choice for the role of British Navy Lieutenant Commander Ewen Montagu, who is fully involved in the cunning scheme to fool the Nazis. Webb's performance brings this most absorbing historical story to life. It is also interesting to note that the real Ewen Montagu has a cameo role in the film of an air-vice marshal who has doubts about the feasibility of the proposed plan. It was described as a "surreal" moment when the real Montagu addresses his fictional persona, played by Webb. Gloria Graham gives a fine, strong emotional performance in her role as Lucy Sherwood, a woman who unexpectedly becomes part of the plot. All the supporting actors give very adequate performances, in this well done, worth watching wartime drama, a film that has passed the test of time.

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.

During World War II, some of the most incredible stories were never revealed to the public at large. Their are a number of reasons why, secrecy, classified or often very personal to living relatives. This movie stems from one such individual. The book from which this remarkable story arises was penned by Lt. Cmdr. Ewen Montagu. Clifton Webb plays Cmdr. Montagu, a British, special Operations naval Officer who is given an order to design a secret plan to deceive the German War machine. In essence, the plan has to convince the Germans, the Allies are not going to use Italy's island of Sardinia as a staging area to invade Europe. Robert Flemyng plays Lt. George Acres, who conceives the incredible idea of using a dead man (Glyndwr Michael) to fool the enemy. The plan is not readily acceptable to the High Brass who believe it contains too many flaws. The team must secure a dead body, make it look like a drown officer who is carrying Top Secrets in his briefcase. Further difficulties include fooling a top secret Irish agent (Stephen Boyd) into believing the dead man was a real British Army Major stationed in London. The top notch cast includes Laurence Naismith, Michael Hordern, Josephine Griffin, Wolf Frees and the voice of Peter Sellers. Based on a real life incident, this movie offers a subtle but very dark drama and Clifton Webb is at his very best. Offered to anyone seeking a quiet attempt to thank those who also " Stand and Wait." ****