(1956) After the successful campaign in North Africa, the British need to disguise the intended landing of troops in Sicily with a cover plan to make the Germans believe the main thrust will take place elsewhere. In the spring of 1943 an ingenious idea takes shape in the mind of Lt Cmdr Ewen "Monty" Montagu (Clifton Webb) from a suggestion made by Lt George Acres (Robert Flemyng) of having the dead body of an officer, whose parachute didn't open, wash up on the Mediterranean shore to be found by the Germans with documents of an attack on Greece.

Based on the Hon Ewen Montagu's memoirs, from Nigel Balchin's screenplay, Ronald Neame directed this World War II saga of intrigue.

Relying on the expert medical advice of Sir Bernard that the fresh corpse of someone who died of pneumonia would fool most coroners performing an autopsy on a drowning, Montagu proceeds with his "preposterous, outrageous, barbaric" (in the words of one superior) proposition. Prepared in advance with uniform, personal effects, and briefcase containing secret communications, the body must be encased in dry ice for transport to a submarine, which will then release it into the sea outside Huelva, Spain, where the tide and winds are favorable for bringing it ashore. In neutral Spain the Nazis have one of their best agents, capable of intercepting such valuable information.

Code named Mincemeat, the plan is discussed, comparing its advantages with its drawbacks (a myriad of things could go wrong); Prime Minister Churchill declares: "Let the plan be implemented!" An identity for the pilot of the Royal Marines is devised: Captain, acting Major, William Martin. All that's needed is an available cadaver.

A frantic search of hospitals and morgues for one matching the criteria fortuitously shows up in St John's Wood: a 36-year-old, the only child of a widowed Scotsman. The father grants permission without knowing how his son's body will be used, asking only that it be treated with dignity and respect, though Montagu cannot promise a Christian burial.

A final touch - in addition to a receipt for recently purchased shirts, theatre-ticket stubs, and bank overdraft - of a letter from a girlfriend with her photograph is planted on the body. Montagu's secretary Pam (Josephine Griffin) is tasked with composing the letter, but her roommate Lucy Sherwood (Gloria Grahame) - "a languishing librarian" - dictates an emotional epistle from her heart, intended for the flyboy Joey, who's given her an engagement ring before heading off on another mission. Lucy's photo also gets inserted in the dead man's wallet. Montagu toasts Major Martin: "May he have a safe and successful journey."

After the Spanish authorities take charge of the corpse found on the beach by a fisherman, the Nazis stealthily manage to make copies of everything before the documents get passed on to the British consulate. However, though the Fuhrer's intuition fully accepts the messages of the plan as authentic, a German admiral, who remains suspicious, sends an agent to determine whether or not Martin is genuine.

Arriving in London from Dublin, Patrick O'Reilly (Stephe Boyd) begins sleuthing around, looking for confirmation or contradiction of Martin's existence. Concerned about a weak link somewhere in their plot, Montagu contacts Scotland Yard for assistance. No one has told Lucy about the scheme.

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Copyright © 2009 Patrick Ivers. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.

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