Jack Higgin’s novel forms the basis of this World War Two tale about a group of German soldiers headed by Michael Caine brought to England with the hope of capturing or killing Winston Churchill. They are aided by a rogue Irishman played by Donald Sutherland.
War time espionage film of the sort they don’t really do any more (I’m guessing as a result of the fall of the Iron Curtain) is a rip roaring adventure. This tale of something that might have happened keeps us on the edge of our seat despite knowing that the plan is ultimately doomed, because the great cast (Caine, Sutherland, Robert Duvall, Jenny Augater, Treat Williams and others) sell it. They believe that they have a shot so we do too. Of course it all goes banana shaped and are dragged along.
The real reason that the film works is the characters. Aside from a few odd side characters (Larry Hagman’s Colonel is badly written and Jean Marsh is not given anything to do) we buy every one. We like them even though they are bad guys. Sutherland’s turn coat Irsihman is an absolute charmer and we completely understand how Jenny Augater falls for him. And we feel for them when it collapses as a result of turns of war. More importantly I liked Sutherland to the point that I wanted to know what happened to him next (and it’s something novelist writer Jack Higgins wondered too since he continued on in two more novels.)
This is a great popcorn film and a perfect evenings entertainment
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