Five fingers, a spy thriller starring james mason, new. Five fingers for marseilles new full trailer south. With james mason, danielle darrieux, michael rennie, walter hampden, oscar karlweis. In an unusual turn for a film of the early 1950s, the protagonist is both an amoral enemy spy and a charming, audienceappealing rouge the type of role that would later be called an antihero. With james mason, danielle darrieux, michael rennie, walter hampden. The private struggles of the debonair james mason james mason 5 fingers movie still poster james mason in five fingers joseph l.
It has a wonderful story, great dialogue and fine acting by all, but especially james mason. James mason can turn a statement or a phrase any way he wishes, adding nuances of disdain, elitist hauteur, snide criticism or blunt honesty, all framed in brilliant understatement. In morocco to assist with the creation of a food charity, a dutchman is abducted by a terrorist. Mankiewiczs urbane truelife spy thriller, may not warrant the. Mason studied architecture before trying for a theatrical career. Mason achieved considerable success in british cinema before becoming one of hollywoods biggest stars. James mason stars as the antihero protagonist, a man known to his superiors only by the codename cicero.
Released 1952, five fingers stars james mason, danielle darrieux, michael rennie, walter hampden the movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 48 min, and received a score of out of 100 on metacritic. The first of the two mankiewiczdirected, mason starring films reflecting on world war two, the other being 53s julius caesar. Check out the trailer for the neowestern directed by michael matthews. We would prefer that you come to the german consul at the same hour if you like. Following four years as a stage actor, his first film was late extra 1935. Fingers, known also as five fingers, is a 1952 american spy film directed by joseph l. Five fingers 1952 cicero german spy in the britain embassy at. Its golden touch was applied by joseph mankiewicz, who knew how to write literate, witty scripts, produce movies, assemble the right kind of talent such as bernard herrmann for music, and direct the right actors for their parts. The film had ten producers, including actor laurence fishburne, who stars in it alongside ryan phillippe, gina torres, touriya haoud, said taghmaoui and colm meaney. The film is about a troubled young man being pulled between his mob father and his mentallydisturbed pianist mother. The actors are great and the story line is first class material. Known as cicero to his nazi handlers, mercenary spy ulysses diello james mason poses as valet to sir frederic walter hampden, the british ambassador to turkey.
The valet to the british ambassador in turkey during wwii decides to improve his lot by selling his employers topsecret documents to the nazis. Along the days, martijn is tortured by a muslin man and aicha and looses four fingers. During his 50year acting career he played in 106 films. Not only was he impressed with the script, but also he was eager.
As diello, james mason, two years before defining roles in a star is born and. Its a considerably more akin to captivity than it is to hard candy, which is a huge weakness in a movie professed as a mental chess match. Watch full episodes of five fingers and get the latest breaking news, exclusive videos and pictures, episode recaps and much more at. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing 5 fingers near you. In the film, james mason plays ulysses diello, the character based on elyesa bazna. Ostensibly the valet of the british ambassador to ankara during world war ii, cicero is. Five fingers is a 2006 american dramathriller film directed by laurence malkin, and written by chad thumann and malkin. The screenplay by michael wilson was based on the book operation cicero original german.
The rest of the cast includes danielle darrieux, michael. He was born in yorkshire, and attended marlborough and cambridge, where he discovered acting on a lark, and abandoned a planned career as an architect. Its a spy thriller and a docudrama featuring james mason as the villain, but a villain at his best. The completely believable five fingers is a suspenseful spy tale enlivened by excellent performances. He was the top box office attraction in the uk in 1944 and 1945, with notable films including the seventh veil 1945 and the wicked lady 1945. Pandora and the flying dutchman james mason it was her face monologue duration. In the film, james mason plays ulysses diello cicero, the character based on elyesa bazna. James mason, british stage and motionpicture actor best known for his urbane characterizations. A year earlier, mason had signed a shortterm contract with fox to win the role of field marshal rommel in the desert fox 1951. Elyesa bazna was an albanian from kosovo who spied for the germans during the second world war, and was widely known by his code. One of my film guides informed me that 5 fingers won the 53 golden globe for its excellent screenplay. Michael rennie, herbert berghof, walter hampden, james mason, oscar karlweis, danielle darrieux, nestor paiva, ivan triesault, konstantin. Five fingers 1952 stream and watch online moviefone.
Five fingers, a spy thriller starring james mason, new feature at roxy theatre the new york times archives see the article in its original context from february 23, 1952, page 0 buy reprints. Five fingers fox cinema archives dvd talk dvd movie. James mason stars as ulysses diello, a valet to the british ambassador in turkey during world war ii. The rest of the cast includes danielle darrieux, michael rennie, herbert berghof and walter hampden. It was very loosely adapted into a 1959 tv series, also called five fingers. With mimi ferrer, laurence fishburne, touriya haoud, isa hoes.
Lending his mellifluous voice and regal mien to more than 100 films, british actor james mason built a long career playing assorted villains, military men, and rather dubious romantic leads. Five fingers 1952 known as cicero to his nazi handlers, mercenary spy ulysses diello james mason poses as valet to sir frederic walter hampden, the british ambassador to turkey. Fingers is a 1978 crime drama film directed by james toback. In the end, the truth about his travel is finally disclosed. James mason, pamela mason a trio of unrelated short stories all starring james and pamela mason, who introduce each short story and give comments after it, as if they were talking to each. Mankiewiczs 1952 feature five fingers is a spy thriller and a docudrama that at times leans too heavily on the doc and maybe could have pumped more thrills into the drama.
Ostensibly the valet of the british ambassador to ankara. A great performance is seen by james mason in joseph l. James mason was a great english actor of british and american films. Jan 19, 2014 starring james mason, harry belafonte, joan fontaine, joan collins, dorothy dandridge, michael rennie, stephen boyd, patricia owens, john justin, diana wynyard, and basil sydney, island in the sun. An elegantly witty espionage movie, founded on fact but no slave to the facts as.
Mankiewicz, with an excellent cast that includes james mason. The screenplay by michael wilson was based on the book operation cicero by ludwig carl moyzisch, nazi commercial attache at the german embassy in ankara. Briefly, it is the story of an extraordinarily sly and cynical man, valet to the british ambassador in ankara and a trusted. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Five fingers, a spy thriller starring james mason, new feature at roxy theatre. Mar 04, 2014 a great performance is seen by james mason in joseph l.
The contract gave him some say in other roles, but he was delighted nonetheless when his next studio assignment was the leading role in five fingers. Dec 04, 20 the valet to the british ambassador in turkey during wwii decides to improve his lot by selling his employers topsecret documents to the nazis. Its a spy thriller and a docudrama featuring james mason as the villain, but a. A british ambassadors albanian valet james mason sells secrets to germans. The highlights of the witty script include the interplay of james mason, as the suave valet i couldnt help rooting for, and danielle darrieux, as the penniless yet glamourously seductive countess staviska. Five fingers, a spy thriller starring james mason, new feature at. Movie info based on a true story, 5 fingers stars james mason as a man known to his superiors only as cicero. Mason was in two of my most favorite spy movies, this one and north.
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