A long-entrenched British agent planted in the German Army is urged to continue his work during the Second World War, but struggles to keep secret his true identity from the Third Reich.A long-entrenched British agent planted in the German Army is urged to continue his work during the Second World War, but struggles to keep secret his true identity from the Third Reich.A long-entrenched British agent planted in the German Army is urged to continue his work during the Second World War, but struggles to keep secret his true identity from the Third Reich.
Donald Pleasence
- Gen. Hardt
- (as Donald Pleasance)
- Director
- Writers
- J. Alvin Kugelmass
- Michael Wilson(originally as James O'Donnell)
- Alfred Lewis Levitt(originally uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaColonel Alex Scotland did serve with the German Army between 1903 and 1907. However during the Second World War he was in charge of the London centre for the interrogation of prisoners of war.
- GoofsUse of reel to reel tape recorder. Whilst Americans may believe tape recording was a post-war development, it is a fact that Germany had built and developed practical tape recorders in the 1940's. They were used in both military and broadcasting situations. After the war, the Ampex corporation was given the German technology as a reward for their war work and they began to manufacture tape recorders in the US. The Ampex model 300 was a very close copy of the German production unit. Some industry journals even suggested that Ampex sold existing units seized from German warehouses before they began manufacture. However, the unit shown in the film is not an Ampex 300 and it is unlikely that German tape would be mounted on plastic reels as shown.
- Crazy creditsThe credits read inspired by A.P. Scotland's "The London Cage". But in Scotland's own words "I had been a German officer... but that was from 1903 to 1907 during the Hottentot Wars in South Africa. True, also, I had secretly worked and successfully fooled the Germans and worked behind their lines... but that was alongside the Kaiser's Army in 1916." In WW1 & WW2 Scotland served as an intelligence officer interrogating captured German POW's. This culminated in his interrogating suspected war criminals at the end of the war.
- SoundtracksIch Liebe Dich
by Peter Hart
Featured review
Very good 'What If?' spy plot in WW II
The opening scene of "the two-Headed Spy" has a script that dedicates the film. It reads, "To those men of the Intelligence Service who worked in secrecy. Who struggled and died in darkness. To those lonely and courageous men who risked their lives daily in the enemy camp. This picture is dedicated. And, to one of those men, Colonel A. P. Scotland, O.B.E., British Intelligence Service, whose exploits over the past half century inspired this story. We wish to express our thanks."
Indeed, the background of Alexander Scotland is very interesting. Here was an early implementer of interrogation methods, as well as a highly experienced spy. That's a story worth looking into. Scotland served as adviser for this film. While he had posed as lower ranking German officers and NCOs in World War I and at other times, he said he never was a high-ranking German official. Yet, when one notices some similarities in this film, it does raise a question.
This film stars Jack Hawkins in a fictitious plot as just such a British spy. Gen. Alex Schotland was a British agent who served in the German Army of WW I. But, unlike most in the espionage business, after the war he didn't come out. He stayed in Germany, kept his military affiliation and identity, and when the Nazis began a rise to power, he jumped on the train.
This is a very good and interesting look at how such high level direct espionage might have looked. One quickly comes to the conclusion that the best way to advance and get on the good graces inside the Nazi hierarchy was to agree with Hitler and promise that his every command could be carried out. Especially, if that went against the reasoned, experienced generals, regardless of how bad was Hitler's position. Anyway, that's how Schottland does it here.
A distant romantic connection is provided by Gia Scala who plays Lili Geyr, a renowned German singer and entertainer of troops. The story has an interesting ending. Scala made a few very good films and had a promising career in movies and television. But, she suffered from depression and began drinking heavily. She underwent frequent psychiatric treatment. On April 30, 1972, she died from an overdose of alcohol and sleeping pills.
Indeed, the background of Alexander Scotland is very interesting. Here was an early implementer of interrogation methods, as well as a highly experienced spy. That's a story worth looking into. Scotland served as adviser for this film. While he had posed as lower ranking German officers and NCOs in World War I and at other times, he said he never was a high-ranking German official. Yet, when one notices some similarities in this film, it does raise a question.
This film stars Jack Hawkins in a fictitious plot as just such a British spy. Gen. Alex Schotland was a British agent who served in the German Army of WW I. But, unlike most in the espionage business, after the war he didn't come out. He stayed in Germany, kept his military affiliation and identity, and when the Nazis began a rise to power, he jumped on the train.
This is a very good and interesting look at how such high level direct espionage might have looked. One quickly comes to the conclusion that the best way to advance and get on the good graces inside the Nazi hierarchy was to agree with Hitler and promise that his every command could be carried out. Especially, if that went against the reasoned, experienced generals, regardless of how bad was Hitler's position. Anyway, that's how Schottland does it here.
A distant romantic connection is provided by Gia Scala who plays Lili Geyr, a renowned German singer and entertainer of troops. The story has an interesting ending. Scala made a few very good films and had a promising career in movies and television. But, she suffered from depression and began drinking heavily. She underwent frequent psychiatric treatment. On April 30, 1972, she died from an overdose of alcohol and sleeping pills.
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- SimonJack
- Feb 21, 2017
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- Runtime1 hour 33 minutes
- Color
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