Themes: Murder Investigations, Military Life, Unlikely Criminals
Main Cast: Peter O'Toole, Omar Sharif, Tom Courtenay, Philippe Noiret, Donald Pleasence, Charles Gray
Release Year: 1967
Country: UK/FR
Run Time: 148 minutes
Plot
Military Intelligence officer Major Grau (Omar Sharif) investigates the brutal murder of a Warsaw prostitute in this mystery set during World War II. Grau's only clue is that the murderer was wearing the uniform of a Nazi general. The three suspects include Gabler (Charles Gray), who fears his harridan wife more than anything, the icy General Tanz (Peter O'Toole), and the scheming, resourceful General Kahlenberge (Donald Pleasence). Grau is suspicious when he is taken off the case, but he does his own investigating when the suspects are gathered in Paris two years later. He enlists the help of Inspector Morand (Philippe Noiret), a resistance sympathizer with whom Grau forms an alliance. A side plot involving an affair with the general's daughter is thrown in for distaff interest. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
Joanna Pettet - Ulrike von Seidlitz-Gabler; Coral Browne - Eleanore von Seidlitz-Gabler; John Gregson - Col. Sandauer; Nigel Stock - Otto; Christopher Plummer - Field Marshal Rommel; Juliette Greco - Juliette; Yves Brainville - Liesowski; Sacha Pitoeff - Doctor; Charles Millot - Wionczek; Veronique Vendell - Monique; Pierre Mondy - Kopatski; Elenore Hirt - Melanie; Nicole Courcel - Raymonde; Jenny Orleans - Otto's Wife; Gerard Buhr - Von Stauffenberg; Michael Goodliffe - Hauser; Gordon Jackson - Capt. Engel; Patrick Allen - Col. Mannheim; Mac Ronay - Tanz's Driver; Harry Andrews - Gov. Stupnagel; Raymond Gerome - Colonel in war room
Credit
Auguste Capelier - Art Director, Rosine Delamare - Costume Designer, Jean-Claude Philippe - Costume Designer, Anatole Litvak - Director, Alan Osbigton - Editor, Maurice Jarre - Composer (Music Score), Maurice Jarre - Musical Direction/Supervision, Jean Zay - Makeup, Alexandre Trauner - Production Designer, Henri Decaë - Cinematographer, Sam Spiegel - Producer, Maurice Barnathan - Set Designer, Paul Dehn - Screenwriter, Joseph Kessel - Screenwriter, Paul Dehn - Additional Dialogue, Hans-Helmut Kirst - Book Author
The murder of a prostitute in Nazi-occupied Warsaw in 1942 draws Abwehr Major Grau (Omar Sharif) into an investigation where the evidence points to the killer being one of three Germangeneral officers: General von Seydlitz-Gabler (Charles Gray), General Kahlenberg (Donald Pleasence), his chief of staff, and General Tanz (Peter O'Toole). Grau’s investigation is cut short by his summary transfer to Paris at the instigation of these officers.
The case remains closed until all three officers are transferred to Paris in July 1944. Paris is a hotbed of intrigue, with senior Wehrmacht officers plotting to assassinate Adolf Hitler. Kahlenberg is deeply involved in the plot, while von Seydlitz-Gabler, who is aware of its existence, is sitting on the fence, awaiting the outcome. Tanz, who is unaware of the plot, remains loyal to the Führer.
Tanz's orderly Kurt Hartmann (Tom Courtenay) witnesses the aftermath of his commander's butchery of a second prostitute on the night of July 19, 1944. Tanz tells Hartmann to run away; realizing that it would be his word against that of a general, Hartmann takes his advice. When Grau, who is now a Lieutenant Colonel, learns of the murder, committed in the same manner as the first, he resumes his investigation and concludes that Tanz is the killer. However, his timing is unfortunate. On July 20, 1944, the assassination attempt takes place. When Grau accuses Tanz face to face, the general kills the detective and labels him as one of the plot conspirators to cover his tracks.
After the war, the murder of a third prostitute in Hamburg in 1965 draws the attention of Interpol Inspector Morand (Philippe Noiret). Morand owes a debt of gratitude to Grau for not revealing his connection to the French Resistance during the war. Morand confronts Tanz at a reunion dinner for Tanz's former panzer division. When Morand produces Hartmann as his witness, Tanz goes into a vacant room and shoots himself.
This was the second film in which Omar Sharif and Peter O'Toole appeared together, the first being Lawrence of Arabia (1962).
It was also the second film in which Sharif and Tom Courtenay appeared together, the first being Dr. Zhivago (1965). This was the first film in which Peter O'Toole and Coral Browne worked together, they would later appear in The Ruling Class (1972), Coral Browne and Charles Grey appeared together in An Englishman Abroad.
Donald Pleasance and Charles Gray would both go on to play the arch-villain Blofeld in separate James Bond films (You Only Live Twice and Diamonds Are Forever, respectively). Gray also had a small part in You Only Live Twice as an MI6 Agent.
