Tonight's Movie: The Man Who Never Was (1956)

THE MAN WHO NEVER WAS (1956) is an excellent fact-based World War II spy thriller.

I've been meaning to catch this one for some time, as it's one of my mother's favorite movies, yet somehow I'd never seen it myself. It did not disappoint.

THE MAN WHO NEVER WAS tells the story of Operation Mincemeat, an elaborate ruse designed by the British to draw the Nazis away from Sicily before the Allied invasion, in the hope of lessening casualties. Lt. Cmdr. Ewen Montagu (Clifton Webb) and Lt. George Acres (Robert Flemyng) concoct a plan to obtain a dead body and give it a fictional persona, Captain (Acting Major) William Martin.

They plant letters in a briefcase carried by Martin indicating that the Allies' move toward Sicily is a feint and that the real action will be an invasion of Greece and Sardinia. A submarine then releases the body near the coast of Spain, making it appear it was in a plane which was shot down; when the body washes ashore the Spanish authorities return Martin's effects to the British -- but forensic study determines that the letters were opened before they were returned, which surely means copies are in the hands of the Nazis.

The Nazis indeed have the copies but are suspicious about whether Martin and the letters are legitimate. A Nazi spy (Stephen Boyd) posing as an Irishman is sent to London to make inquiries and visit places suggested by various documents and bills on the body.

A bank manager (John Welsh) handles the spy's phone call with aplomb, having his secretary take notes and even having it traced. There might be a glitch, however, as Lucy (Gloria Grahame), the roommate of Montagu's secretary (Josephine Griffin), had helped compose a love letter planted on the corpse; Lucy has no idea what's going on and might unknowingly give the game away when the spy pays her a visit.

This was a simply top-notch "spy procedural." It had some of the elements I liked in the opening scenes of the recently viewed OPERATION CROSSBOW (1965), with a plan being devised and executed, but while I thought OPERATION CROSSBOW fell apart in its violent second half, THE MAN WHO NEVER WAS sustains an excellent story from start to finish.

There are lovely touches throughout, from the poem quoted at the opening and closing of the film to the moment where the submarine officers, though in dangerous waters, pause long enough to pray over the body before sending it into the sea. The conclusion, as Montague suddenly realizes with clarity what his team must do -- or not do -- to avoid tipping off the spy that they're on to him is brilliant.

Webb is superb as Montagu; he's humorous enough to dub the plan Operation Mincemeat, but he also shows great sensitivity dealing with the father (Moultrie Kelsall) of the young man who has died of pneumonia and is thus perfect to simulate a drowning victim. (This part deviates from what I've read about the real operation, but the majority of the film seems accurate.) Webb is onscreen for a majority of the film and, along with the fascinating story, is a big part of the reason the movie is so engaging.

Grahame is quite good as the beleaguered Lucy, who's in love with a pilot (William Russell) engaged in risky operations; the one odd thing is that Grahame was photographed throughout much of the film with a brightly shining face. It's as though makeup forgot to apply powder in scene after scene.

The cast also includes Andre Morell, Cyril Cusack, Michael Hordern, and Laurence Naismith. Peter Williams plays Admiral Mountbatten, while Peter Sellers, of all people, is said to have been the voice of Winston Churchill.

Nigel Balchin's screenplay was based on the nonfiction book by Montagu. The movie was directed by Ronald Neame and filmed by Oswald Morris.

THE MAN WHO NEVER WAS is available on DVD, with a widescreen version of the film on one side of the disc and a pan-and-scan version on the reverse.

This film should appeal to a wide cross-section of classic film fans, including those who enjoy WWII films, spy thrillers, "true life" stories, or simply a very good, well-told tale. Recommended.