Charles Dobbs is a British secret agent investigating the apparent suicide of Foreign Office official Samuel Fennan. Dobbs suspects that Fennan's wife, Elsa, a survivor of a Nazi Germany extermination camp, might have some clues, but other officials want Dobbs to drop the case. So Dobbs hires a retiring inspector, Mendel, to quietly make inquiries. Dobbs isn't at all sure as there are a number of anomalies that simply can't be explained away. Dobbs is also having trouble at home with his errant wife, whom he very much loves, having frequent affairs. He's also pleased to see an old friend, Dieter Frey, who he recruited after the war. With the assistance of a colleague and a retired policeman, Dobbs tries to piece together just who is the spy and who in fact assassinated Fennan.
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🔍 Search on JustWatch →The film doesn't rush. It trusts the viewer — gives time to inhabit the characters, understand what's really happening. Direction here serves the actors rather than overwhelming them.
This film doesn't entertain — it speaks. If you're ready for that, it'll leave a mark. If not — it'll seem slow.
A good choice for those who value subtle direction and honest performance.
Director: Sidney Lumet
— MovieFinder Editorial
Best Watched
Viewing atmosphere: Unhurried, on a weekday evening. Put down the phone, let the film work.
James Mason
Charles Dobbs
Simone Signoret
Elsa Fennan
Maximilian Schell
Dieter Frey
Harriet Andersson
Ann Dobbs
Harry Andrews
Inspector Mendel
Kenneth Haigh
Bill Appleby
Roy Kinnear
Adam Scarr
Max Adrian
Morton - Adviser
Lynn Redgrave
Virgin Bumpus
Robert Flemyng
Samuel Fennan
Audience Score
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