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Diplomatic Courier

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6.0/10 • 21

1952-06-131h 37m

MysteryThrillerDrama

Number 1 target for 1,000 enemy agents... from Paris to Salzburg to Trieste..!

During the Cold War, diplomatic courier Mike Kells must retrieve a dispatch containing top-secret intelligence. But when he arrives at the meeting point, a train station in Salzburg, his contact turns up dead, and the message is nowhere to be found. With no clear suspect in sight, Kells must sort through his uncertain relationships with two women, while sidestepping the pitfalls of subterfuge, sabotage and spies in his search for the documents.

Directors
Henry Hathaway
Editors
James B. Clark

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Tyrone Power

    Tyrone Power

    Mike Kells

  2. Patricia Neal

    Patricia Neal

    Joan Ross

  3. Stephen McNally

    Stephen McNally

    Col. Cagle

  4. Hildegard Knef

    Hildegard Knef

    Janine Betki

  5. Karl Malden

    Karl Malden

    Sgt. Ernie Guelvada

  6. James Millican

    James Millican

    Sam F. Carew

  7. Stefan Schnabel

    Stefan Schnabel

    Rasumny Platov

  8. Herbert Berghof

    Herbert Berghof

    Arnov

  9. Arthur Blake

    Arthur Blake

    Maximilian

Reviews1

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CinemaSerf Avatar

CinemaSerf

Nov 11, 2023

6/10

"Mike" (Tyrone Power) is a US State Department courier who is sent on a routine, but dangerous, mission to Trieste where he is to rendezvous with a passenger on a train then collect and repatriate an important document. Of course, the Soviets are also on the trail of this transaction and when it all goes wrong, "Mike" finds himself embroiled in something far more sinister than he has experienced before. He is now at the behest of his new military handler "Col. Cagle" (Stephen McNally) and his wily sergeant "Guelvada" (a lively effort from Karl Malden) as he must try to find which of two women - "Janine" (Hildegard Knef) or "Joan" (Patricia Neal) might be mixed up - or not - in this espionage drama with more crosses than a Papal mass. Now I found the mystery here a little lacking. Serendipity just takes too an implausible a role in a wine bar and from there on in I felt that the jeopardy was rather compromised. Still, Henry Hathaway uses this workmanlike cast to good effect helping to create an atmosphere of mistrust and peril with nobody quite sure who is trustworthy and who is just as likely to put a knife between the shoulder blades. Trains also usually serve well as vehicles for thrillers - the movement, dimly lit carriages and squeaky rails all contribute to the heightened sense of tension as we near the reveal. Perhaps if you don't spot the huge great clue early on, you might get more from this well paced thriller.

Media

  • Diplomatic Courier poster
  • Diplomatic Courier poster
  • Diplomatic Courier poster
  • Diplomatic Courier poster
  • Diplomatic Courier poster
  • Diplomatic Courier poster

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
--
Revenue
--
Keywords
yugoslaviasecret agentmicrofilmdouble agent