Triple Cross
Release date: 1966-12-09
Votes: 76
Genres: Adventure, War, Action
A safecracker turns double agent during WWII.
Reviews
CinemaSerf
Christopher Plummer is just a little more engaging than usual in this enjoyable wartime caper. "Eddie Chapman" makes a living as a petty safe-breaker who is caught up in the Nazi invasion of Jersey. Initially sceptical, the local commander comes to appreciate that this cocky young man may be of some use to them - and he appears all too keen, so long as he gets paid well enough. Off too Blighty he is duly sent, where he goes straight to the British authorities offering his services to them also - and explaining that the Germans believe him to be their agent. Pretty soon he is back in Germany under the watchful tutelage of "Baron von Grunen" (Yul Brynner) and Gert Fröbe ("Col. Steinhager") plotting more acts of sabotage - and lining his pockets well at the same time. His is based on a real life character, though I believe Plummer has injected a little bit of humour and patriotism into the character than might have originally existed. The three men work well together, and there is plenty of light-hearted intrigue as "Chapman" dallies with the glamorous resistance fighter "Paulette" (Claudine Auger) and with "Countess Helga" (Romy Schneider) - both of which puts his personal safety, and that of his precarious mission in some jeopardy. It is, unfortunately, just far too long - the story is good, but Terence Young struggles to keep it engrossing for over 2¼ hours. It does end well, though.
Wuchak
**_James Bond lite during WW2_** When the Germans occupy the island of Jersey where a glib Brit safecracker is incarcerated (Christopher Plummer), they enlist him as an agent because of his shrewdness and lack of loyalty. After being tested by his handler in France (Yul Brynner), he becomes their top spy, assigned the mission of blowing up an aircraft factory in England. But what happens if MI5 enlists him as a double agent? “Triple Cross” (1966) is loosely based on the true-story of Eddie Chapman, who was to be the technical advisor, but French authorities wouldn’t let him in the country due to his alleged involvement in a plot to kidnap the Sultan of Morocco. Director Terence Young knew Chapman before the war, as a roommate, and also spent time with him on his first mission in Britain, which was set up by MI5 because the spy needed cheering up as he was training for his return to occupied Europe. I call it “James Bond lite” because Terence Young directed three of the early 007 movies with Sean Connery before helming this one, and three iconic Bond actors are featured in the cast: Gert Fröbe played the titular character in “Goldfinger,” Claudine Auger played Domino in “Thunderball” and Francis De Wolff played Valva in “From Russia with Love.” This is a good movie if you’re in the mood for the décor and intrigues of WW2 minus the battles, similar to “The Night of the Generals,” which came out the next year. A youthful Plummer is surprisingly good as the nonchalant protagonist and I like how the July 20, 1944, plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler is included in the last act (Cruise’s “Valkyrie” was based on that event). It’s along the lines of "The Heroes of Telemark" from the prior year, just not as good IMHO. The great “Where Eagles Dare” came out two years later. It’s a little overlong at about 2 hours, 15-20 minutes (although there’s also a 126-minute American version); and was shot in France with some stuff done in England. GRADE: B-/C+
Movie Recommendation
Star Trek: First Contact1996-11-22The Borg, a relentless race of cyborgs, are on a direct course for Earth. Violating orders to stay away from the battle, Captain Picard and the crew of the newly-commissioned USS Enterprise E pursue the Borg back in time to prevent the invaders from changing Federation history and assimilating the galaxy.More...
The Alamo1960-10-23The legendary true story of a small band of soldiers who sacrificed their lives in hopeless combat against a massive army in order to prevent a tyrant from smashing the new Republic of Texas.More...
Beneath Hill 602010-04-15The true story of Australia's cat-and-mouse underground mine warfare—one of the most misunderstood, misrepresented and mystifying conflicts of WW I. It was secret struggle BENEATH the Western Front that combined daring engineering, technology and science. Few on the surface knew of the brave, claustrophobic and sometimes barbaric work of these tunnellers.More...
125 rue Montmartre1959-09-09Desperate, Didier throws himself out in the Seine. Pascal, a newsboy, jumps and saves him. It’s the beginning of the friendship between them.Once, as Pascal helps Didier, he finds himself involved in a murder. Only the superintendent believes in his innocence…More...
Goya's Ghosts2006-11-08Painter Francisco Goya becomes involved with the Spanish Inquisition after his muse, Inés, is arrested by the church for heresy. Her family turns to him, hoping that his connection with fanatical Inquisitor Lorenzo, whom he is painting, can secure her release.More...
The Hanging Tree1959-02-19Joseph "Doc" Frail is a doctor with a past he's trying to outrun. While in Montana, he comes across a mining camp with a hanging tree and rescues a man named Rune from the noose. With Rune as his servant, Frail decides to settle down, and he takes over as town doctor. He meets Elizabeth, who is suffering from shock, and the two soon fall in love. But when Elizabeth is attacked, Frail's attempt to help her lands them both in trouble.More...
Eye of the Devil1966-11-18A French nobleman deserts his wife because of an ancient family secret.More...
You Only Live Twice1967-06-13A mysterious spacecraft captures Russian and American space capsules and brings the two superpowers to the brink of war. James Bond investigates the case in Japan and comes face to face with his archenemy Blofeld.More...
War Horse2011-12-25On the brink of the First World War, Albert's beloved horse Joey is sold to the Cavalry by his father. Against the backdrop of the Great War, Joey begins an odyssey full of danger, joy, and sorrow, and he transforms everyone he meets along the way. Meanwhile, Albert, unable to forget his equine friend, searches the battlefields of France to find Joey and bring him home.More...
The Killer2023-10-25After a fateful miss, an assassin battles his employers, and himself, on an international manhunt he insists isn't personal.More...
Avengers: Infinity War2018-04-25As the Avengers and their allies have continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos. A despot of intergalactic infamy, his goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones, artifacts of unimaginable power, and use them to inflict his twisted will on all of reality. Everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment - the fate of Earth and existence itself has never been more uncertain.More...
Parasite2019-05-30All unemployed, Ki-taek's family takes peculiar interest in the wealthy and glamorous Parks for their livelihood until they get entangled in an unexpected incident.More...
Rear Window1954-08-01A wheelchair-bound photographer spies on his neighbors from his apartment window and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder.More...
Marriage Story2019-09-28A stage director and an actress struggle through a grueling, coast-to-coast divorce that pushes them to their personal extremes.More...
Back to the Future1985-07-03Eighties teenager Marty McFly is accidentally sent back in time to 1955, inadvertently disrupting his parents' first meeting and attracting his mother's romantic interest. Marty must repair the damage to history by rekindling his parents' romance and - with the help of his eccentric inventor friend Doc Brown - return to 1985.More...
12 Angry Men1957-04-10The defense and the prosecution have rested and the jury is filing into the jury room to decide if a young Spanish-American is guilty or innocent of murdering his father. What begins as an open and shut case soon becomes a mini-drama of each of the jurors' prejudices and preconceptions about the trial, the accused, and each other.More...
The Shawshank Redemption1994-09-23Imprisoned in the 1940s for the double murder of his wife and her lover, upstanding banker Andy Dufresne begins a new life at the Shawshank prison, where he puts his accounting skills to work for an amoral warden. During his long stretch in prison, Dufresne comes to be admired by the other inmates -- including an older prisoner named Red -- for his integrity and unquenchable sense of hope.More...
Shaun of the Dead2004-04-09Shaun lives a supremely uneventful life, which revolves around his girlfriend, his mother, and, above all, his local pub. This gentle routine is threatened when the dead return to life and make strenuous attempts to snack on ordinary Londoners.More...
Fight Club1999-10-15A ticking-time-bomb insomniac and a slippery soap salesman channel primal male aggression into a shocking new form of therapy. Their concept catches on, with underground "fight clubs" forming in every town, until an eccentric gets in the way and ignites an out-of-control spiral toward oblivion.More...
Joker2019-10-01During the 1980s, a failed stand-up comedian is driven insane and turns to a life of crime and chaos in Gotham City while becoming an infamous psychopathic crime figure.More...
Similar Movies
On Deadly Ground
1994-02-18Forrest Taft is an environmental agent who works for the Aegis Oil Company in Alaska. Aegis Oil's corrupt CEO is the kind of person who doesn't care whether or not oil spills into the ocean or onto the land—just as long as it's making money for him.The Glimmer Man
1996-10-04A former government operative renowned for his stealth, Jack Cole is now a Los Angeles police detective. When a series of horrible murders occurs in the metro area, Cole is assigned to the case, along with tough-talking fellow cop Jim Campbell. Although the two men clash, they gradually become effective partners as they uncover a conspiracy linked to the killings, which also involves terrorism and organized crime.Swordfish
2001-06-08Rogue agent Gabriel Shear is determined to get his mitts on $9 billion stashed in a secret Drug Enforcement Administration account. He wants the cash to fight terrorism, but lacks the computer skills necessary to hack into the government mainframe. Enter Stanley Jobson, a n'er-do-well encryption expert who can log into anything.Spy Kids
2001-03-18Carmen and Juni think their parents are boring. Little do they know that in their day, Gregorio and Ingrid Cortez were the top secret agents from their respective countries. They gave up that life to raise their children. Now, the disappearances of several of their old colleagues forces the Cortez' return from retirement. What they didn't count on was Carmen and Juni joining the "family business."Agent Cody Banks
2003-03-14Recruited by the U.S. government to be a special agent, nerdy teenager Cody Banks must get closer to cute classmate Natalie in order to learn about an evil plan hatched by her father. But despite the agent persona, Cody struggles with teen angst.The Avengers
1998-08-13British Ministry agent John Steed, under direction from "Mother", investigates a diabolical plot by arch-villain Sir August de Wynter to rule the world with his weather control machine. Steed investigates the beautiful Doctor Mrs. Emma Peel, the only suspect, but simultaneously falls for her and joins forces with her to combat Sir August.The Spy
1964-02-27The British Admiralty is worried: several cargo ships carrying troops have mysteriously jumped off Gibraltar. The Admiralty calls in the Intelligence Service to find out the cause of the destruction before new units arrive. Lieutenant Jackson, of the Marine Infantry Regiment stationed in Gibraltar, spends all his duty time in Tangier, where he is attracted by his love of poker and a beautiful dancer, Lola. Despite the objurgations of his general and the tender friendship of Cathie, his general's daughter, he can't stop playing and loses a very large sum one evening.Police Story 4: First...
1996-02-10Hong Kong cop Chan Ka-Kui returns, working with Interpol to track down and arrest an illegal weapons dealer. Chan later realizes that things are not as simple as they appear and soon finds himself to be a pawn of an organization posing as Russian intelligence.Double Team
1997-04-04A CIA agent is interned for failing to kill an international terrorist. Escaping from his island exile, he teams up with a flamboyant arms dealer and sets out to find the terrorist and rescue the agent's family. Together they're a two-man arsenal... with enough voltage to rock the free world.Charlie's Angels: Ful...
2003-06-25The Angels are charged with finding a pair of missing rings that are encoded with the personal information of members of the Witness Protection Program. As informants are killed, the ladies target a rogue agent who might be responsible.Johnny English
2003-03-14A lowly pencil pusher working for MI7, Johnny English is suddenly promoted to super spy after Agent One is assassinated and every other agent is blown up at his funeral. When a billionaire entrepreneur sponsors the exhibition of the Crown Jewels—and the valuable gems disappear on the opening night and on English's watch—the newly-designated agent must jump into action to find the thief and recover the missing gems.Point of No Return
1993-03-19Hardened criminal Maggie Hayward's consistent violence, even in police custody, ends in the execution chamber. However, top-secret US government agent 'Bob' arranges a staged death, so Maggie can be elaborately trained as a phantom killer and subdued into obedience.Spawn
1997-07-31After being murdered by corrupt colleagues in a covert government agency, Al Simmons makes a pact with the devil to be resurrected to see his beloved wife Wanda. In exchange for his return to Earth, Simmons agrees to lead Hell's Army in the destruction of mankind.Shiri
1999-02-13North Korea's 8th Special Forces hijack a shipment of CTX, a potent new liquid explosive, and threatens South Korea as part of a plot to re-unify the two countries. Ryu and Lee, special agents of O.P., South Korea's secret intelligence service, attempt to track down the terrorists and find the CTX. Meanwhile Hee, the 8th's ultra-bad female sniper, resurfaces to wreak havoc and haunt Ryu.Mortadelo & Filemon: ...
2003-02-07In the Headquarters of the T.I.A. (Terminal Intelligence Agency), someone has stolen Professor Bacterio's most dangerous invention, the D.O.T. (Demoralizer of Troops), an artifact that ends up in the hands of a very short, wacky dictator who is ready to use it for criminal purposes. The T.I.A Chief, though, is firm in his resolve: if he wants to get the D.O.T. back, he must NOT count on his agents Mortadelo & Filemon. But when the crime fighting duo discover that the T.I.A. has engaged a cocky and slimy detective from outside the agency, they decide to act at their own risk, even if that risk involves all of Humanity.Hot Shots! Part Deux
1993-05-21Topper Harley is found to be working as an odd-job-man in a monastery. The CIA want him to lead a rescue mission into Iraq, to rescue the last rescue team, who went in to rescue the last rescue team—who went in to rescue hostages left behind after Desert Storm.I Spy
2002-10-31When the Switchblade, the most sophisticated prototype stealth fighter created yet, is stolen from the U.S. government, one of the United States' top spies, Alex Scott, is called to action. What he doesn't expect is to get teamed up with a cocky civilian, World Class Boxing Champion Kelly Robinson, on a dangerous top secret espionage mission. Their assignment: using equal parts skill and humor, catch Arnold Gundars, one of the world's most successful arms dealers.Flame & Citron
2008-03-25Gunman Flame and his partner Citron assassinate Nazi collaborators for the Danish resistance. Assigned targets by their Allies-connected leader, Aksel Winther, they relish the opportunity to begin targeting the Nazis themselves. When they begin to doubt the validity of their assignments, their morally complicated task becomes even more labyrinthine.Who Am I?
1998-01-17A group of covert CIA operatives trailing a potential new energy source are double-crossed by corrupt agent Morgan, who causes a helicopter crash in remote South Africa. The sole survivor, suffering severe amnesia, is nursed to recovery by a kindly native tribe who call him "Whoami" after the question he keeps asking. With the help of a mysterious reporter Christine, Whoami pieces together his past and tracks the turncoat agent and his criminal cohorts.Seoul Raiders
2005-02-05Agent Lam (Tony Leung) sets out to track a pair of plates used to make fake American dollars. When he discovers the plates, they are conned out of him by enigmatic US Embassy workers Owen (Richie Ren) and JJ (Shu Qi). With the trail now leading to Korea, Lam sets off in hot pursuit. There, amidst the dangerous and glamorous urban landscape of Seoul, Lam finds himself confronting an underworld crime boss known as the Polar Bear, head of the biggest counterfeiting organisation in Asia.