Triple Cross

Written by Frank Owen, The Eddie Chapman Story, is the basis of this 1966 espionage thriller set in World War II. Eddie Chapman (Christopher Plummer) is a classy and one must assume extremely good looking criminal. He uses very simple household stuff to create explosives which he uses to blow up safes. Not to mention that he is extremely suave and smooth with the women. However, luck runs out and he is picked up by the cops and put into solitary. As soon as the Germans take over the town in which he is being held, he asks to see the commandant under the pretext of giving pivotal information about the war to the Germans. The commandant, not being in a position to ignore this, informs the relevant authorities. In a few days, Col. Steinhager (Gert Frobe) and Countess Helga (Romy Schneider) arrive at the prison to interrogate Chapman who makes them an offer of becoming in a double agent in exchange for obviously – money. Chapman is quite clear that he cannot stay on the Brit side thanks to his criminal record which would keep him in jail for 15 years and therefore strikes a deal with the Nazis.

Steinhager and The Countess are not quite sure about the authenticity of Chapman and therefore reject Chapman’s offer. Chapman is then sent across to a facility for war criminals close to Paris where he meets Paulette (Claudine Auger). Unable to restrict himself to just mere flirtations, Chapman squeezes himself out of his quarters and makes his way to have some fun with Paulette. Unfortunately gets caught in the bargain and is taken to the firing squad. Its only here that we realize that the entire operation was a front to show Chapman as dead and our duo of The Colonel and The Countess whisk away Chapman to meet Baron Von Grunen (Yul Brynner) who is a key person in the Third Reich.

The Baron is willing to go ahead with the training of Chapman to run a very special project of blowing up the key aircraft facility in Britain. Chapman is put through a very rigorous schedule peppered with some close comfort with The Countess who The Baron has instructed to gain Chapman’s confidence. On completion of the training effort and some tests for Chapman’s credibility he is then packed off to Britain. Promptly, our friend Eddie, decides to go to his roots and spills the beans to British Intelligence who also find out that the story adds up. Chapman, very clearly focused on money and clearing his record, offers the Brits his services to get more information out and become a triple agent.

Confused by now? Not too confusing I assure you. Its all called out very clearly in the movie and stitched beautifully to ensure minimal confusion. Terence Young continues to impress me as a director. I had also reviewed Wait Until Dark before this and gave it an 8 on 10. Triple Cross came in a year before this i.e. in 1966 and I must say it’s a very good effort. Almost as good as the Audrey Hepburn starrer. Wonder why these movies from the 40s - 70s seem to have far more sincere performances than the ones after that. If one were to pick up a classic movie then chances are that there would be very little or no questions about the acting or direction. There could be chinks in the aspects of finishing, editing, consistency. But the basics are vastly unquestionable. No wonder they were referred to as the golden years. Christopher Plummer is extremely smooth in his rendition of Eddie Chapman. Yul Brynner as always does not understand the concept of not giving his best to anything. The passion that he has towards acting shows through the screen. Romy Schneider, Gert Frobe and even Claudine Auger (who has a very small but pivotal part) come up with some very sincere and committed performances. Triple Cross gets my nod @ 7 on 10. A shade below Wait Until Dark but a lovely watch nevertheless.