Triple Cross

Christopher Plummer is just a little more engaging than usual in this enjoyable wartime caper. "Eddie Chapman" makes a living as a petty safe-breaker who is caught up in the Nazi invasion of Jersey. Initially sceptical, the local commander comes to appreciate that this cocky young man may be of some use to them - and he appears all too keen, so long as he gets paid well enough. Off too Blighty he is duly sent, where he goes straight to the British authorities offering his services to them also - and explaining that the Germans believe him to be their agent. Pretty soon he is back in Germany under the watchful tutelage of "Baron von Grunen" (Yul Brynner) and Gert Fröbe ("Col. Steinhager") plotting more acts of sabotage - and lining his pockets well at the same time. His is based on a real life character, though I believe Plummer has injected a little bit of humour and patriotism into the character than might have originally existed. The three men work well together, and there is plenty of light-hearted intrigue as "Chapman" dallies with the glamorous resistance fighter "Paulette" (Claudine Auger) and with "Countess Helga" (Romy Schneider) - both of which puts his personal safety, and that of his precarious mission in some jeopardy. It is, unfortunately, just far too long - the story is good, but Terence Young struggles to keep it engrossing for over 2¼ hours. It does end well, though.

James Bond lite during WW2 When the Germans occupy the island of Jersey where a glib Brit safecracker is incarcerated (Christopher Plummer), they enlist him as an agent because of his shrewdness and lack of loyalty. After being tested by his handler in France (Yul Brynner), he becomes their top spy, assigned the mission of blowing up an aircraft factory in England. But what happens if MI5 enlists him as a double agent? “Triple Cross” (1966) is loosely based on the true-story of Eddie Chapman, who was to be the technical advisor, but French authorities wouldn’t let him in the country due to his alleged involvement in a plot to kidnap the Sultan of Morocco. Director Terence Young knew Chapman before the war, as a roommate, and also spent time with him on his first mission in Britain, which was set up by MI5 because the spy needed cheering up as he was training for his return to occupied Europe. I call it “James Bond lite” because Terence Young directed three of the early 007 movies with Sean Connery before helming this one, and three iconic Bond actors are featured in the cast: Gert Fröbe played the titular character in “Goldfinger,” Claudine Auger played Domino in “Thunderball” and Francis De Wolff played Valva in “From Russia with Love.” This is a good movie if you’re in the mood for the décor and intrigues of WW2 minus the battles, similar to “The Night of the Generals,” which came out the next year. A youthful Plummer is surprisingly good as the nonchalant protagonist and I like how the July 20, 1944, plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler is included in the last act (Cruise’s “Valkyrie” was based on that event). It’s along the lines of "The Heroes of Telemark" from the prior year, just not as good IMHO. The great “Where Eagles Dare” came out two years later. It’s a little overlong at about 2 hours, 15-20 minutes (although there’s also a 126-minute American version); and was shot in France with some stuff done in England. GRADE: B-/C+

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