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Poster for The Man Who Never Was

The Man Who Never Was

Seen it?

1956 | 103 min | Thriller, War, Drama, History

Saturday Specialearly rating

Why it’s a Saturday Special

It earned strong reviews (88% on Rotten Tomatoes), despite a box office flop. A strong pick for the weekend.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for anyone who likes to be kept guessing and history buffs. If you loved Operation Mincemeat or Pressure, start here.
The mood
Tense, intense.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 43 min.
What might put you off
Made in 1956: an older pace and style.

The true story of a British effort to trick the Germans into weakening Sicily's defenses before the 1943 attack. A dead soldier is dressed as a British officer and outfitted with faked papers showing that the Allies were intending to invade occupied Greece. His body is put into the sea where it will ultimately drift ashore and the papers be passed along to German Intelligence.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsStrong

    88% on Rotten Tomatoes

  • AudiencesNot counted

    Not measured yet: not enough ratings

  • AwardsSolid

    Won 1 BAFTA: Best British Screenplay. Also nominated for 3 more BAFTAs. Plus 1 other award.

  • Box office & staying powerWeak

    $1 million worldwide; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactSolid

    About 92K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Ronald Neame

  • Clifton WebbLt. Cmdr. Ewen Montagu
  • Gloria GrahameLucy Sherwood
  • Robert FlemyngLt. George Acres
  • Josephine GriffinPam
  • Stephen BoydPatrick O'Reilly
  • Laurence NaismithAdm. Cross
  • Geoffrey KeenGen. Nye
  • Moultrie KelsallThe Father
  • Cyril CusackTaxi Driver
  • André MorellSir Bernard Spilsbury