Diplomatic Courier (1952)

Diplomatic Courier (1952)

„Diplomatic Courier“ is a 1952 spy film noir directed by Henry Hathaway. The screenplay by Casey Robinson and Liam O’Brien is based on the 1945 novel „Sinister Errand“ by Peter Cheyney.

In post-WWII Europe, courier Mike Kells is assigned by the State Department to fly to from Paris to Salzburg and get a top-secret document from Sam Carew. Mike falls asleep on the flight, on the shoulder of passenger Joan Ross.

Sam is being tailed by two men at the Salzburg railway station. Mike boards the same train and in the dining car, sits near a woman Sam seems to know. In a tunnel, the train car lights malfunction. Mike sees the two men throw Carew’s body off the train. Mike whistle stops the train, and gets off to remain with Carew’s body.

US Army Col. Mark Cagle and Sgt. Ernie Guelvada interrogate Mike, and order Mike to travel to Trieste to find the woman. Guelvada goes along.

She is identified as Janine Betki, a singer and a possible Russian agent. Mike goes to a club where Janine performed, and catches the end of a performance by „Maximilian“, a comic impersonator. Then Mike runs into Joan. A strange man slips Mike some information, then tries to flee, but is murdered by a car in a hit-and-run.

Janine tells Mike she worked with Carew, loved him, and spied on the Russians for him. The colonel insists Janine was a loyal Soviet agent. Joan is revealed to be the Russian agent when she meets with Rasumny Platov.

Mike deduces Carew hid microfilm in his wristwatch, and retrieves the watch from the pawn shop where Janine left it, only to have Joan try to take it from him at gunpoint before she is surprised and overpowered by the faithful American Sergeant. But, the pawnbroker cleaned the watch, and removed the film.

Mike is captured by the Soviets, drugged, dumped in a river, and rescued by a fishing boat. The Soviets use Maximilian impersonate the voice of Col. Cagle and fool both Janine and Mike. Janine bargains with the Soviet agent Platov for her freedom by agreeing to give the microfilm to them; in return they will accompany her on a train to the border of the security zone. In the end, the microfilm is recovered by the American authorities. Mike manages get on the train, and meets with Janine in the presence of her Soviet spymaster. When their train is sidetracked to let a train pass, Mike fights with Platov, and both he and Janine manage to escape through a window as the train with the Soviet agents moves off.

Cast:

• Tyrone Power – Mike Kells
• Patricia Neal – Joan Ross
• Stephen McNally – Col. Mark Cagle
• Hildegard Knef – Janine Betki
• Karl Malden – Sgt. Ernie Guelvada
• James Millican – Sam F. Carew
• Stefan Schnabel – Rasumny Platov
• Herbert Berghof – Arnov
• Arthur Blake – Max Ralli
• Helene Stanley – Airline Stewardess
• Michael Ansara – Ivan
• Sig Arno – Chef de Train
• George Blagoi – Counterman
• Eugene Borden – Baggage Attendant
• Charles Bronson – Russian Agent
• George Calliga – Nightclub Patron
• Monique Chantal – French Stewardess
• Peter Coe – Zinski
• Russ Conway – Bill
• Lawrence Dobkin – Russian Agent
• Adolph Faylauer – Train Passenger
• Dabbs Greer – Intelligence Clerk
• Lumsden Hare – Jacks
• Pat Hogan – Russian Agent
• Jimmie Horan – Bistro Customer
• Charles La Torre – French Ticket Agent
• Alfred Linder – Cherenko
• Hugh Marlowe – Narrator (voice)
• E.G. Marshall – Military Police Jeep Driver
• Lee Marvin – Military Policeman at Trieste
• Tyler McVey – Watch Officer
• Ray Montgomery – Co-Pilot
• George Nardelli – Waiter
• Nestor Paiva – Train Conductor
• Tom Powers – Cherney
• Stuart Randall – Butrick
• Cosmo Sardo – Plane Passenger
• Konstantin Shayne – Train Conductor
• Mario Siletti – Russian Desk Clerk
• Ludwig Stössel – Watchmaker
• Arthur Tovey – Train Passenger
• James Warren – Cafe Customer
• Carleton Young – Brennan

„Kurier nach Triest“ „Diplomatic Courier“ ist ein Spionagefilm noir aus dem Jahr 1952 unter der Regie von Henry Hathaway. Das Drehbuch von Casey Robinson und Liam O’Brien basiert auf der 1945 erschienenen Novelle „Sinister Errand“ von Peter Cheyney.

Im Europa der Nachkriegszeit wird der Kurier Mike Kells vom Außenministerium beauftragt, von Paris nach Salzburg zu fliegen und ein streng geheimes Dokument von Sam Carew zu holen. Mike schläft während des Fluges auf der Schulter der Passagierin Joan Ross ein.

Sam wird auf dem Salzburger Bahnhof von zwei Männern verfolgt. Mike steigt in denselben Zug und setzt sich im Speisewagen neben eine Frau, die Sam zu kennen scheint. In einem Tunnel kommt es zu einer Fehlfunktion der Waggonbeleuchtung. Mike sieht, wie die beiden Männer die Leiche von Carew aus dem Zug werfen. Mike hält den Zug mit einem Pfiff an und steigt aus, um bei Carews Leiche zu bleiben.

US Army Col. Mark Cagle und Sgt. Ernie Guelvada verhören Mike und befehlen ihm, nach Triest zu reisen, um die Frau zu finden. Guelvada geht mit.