Poster

Man on a String ()


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A US secret agent is sent to Berlin to pretend to be a spy for the USSR.

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Cast

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Boris Mitrov
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Bob Avery
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Helen Benson
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Colonel Vadja Kubelov
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Frank Sanford
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Papa of Boris Mitrov
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Bess Harris
Friedrich Joloff ...
General Nikolai Chapayev
Richard Kendrick ...
Inspector Jenkins
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Adrian Benson
Holger Hagen ...
Hans Grünwald
Bob Iller ...
Hartmann (as Robert Iller)
Reinhold Pasch ...
Otto Bergman
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People's Judge
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Tanja Rosnova
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Detective
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Narrator (voice)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jimmy Bates ...
Russian Student Spy (uncredited)
Al Beaudine ...
Agent (uncredited)
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Commuter at Terminal (uncredited)
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Servant (uncredited)
Tex Brodus ...
Agent (uncredited)
Brad Brown ...
Student (uncredited)
Ramond Burgin ...
August (uncredited)
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C.B.I. Agent (uncredited)
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Hotel Pageboy (uncredited)
Dick Cherney ...
Agent (uncredited)
Jack Deery ...
Mr. Foy (uncredited)
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Agent (uncredited)
Raoul Freeman ...
Party Guest (uncredited)
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Helga (uncredited)
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Victor Darvas (uncredited)
Winfried Groth ...
Police Captain (uncredited)
Mary Ann Holloway ...
Elegant Lady (uncredited)
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Professor Vasheen (uncredited)
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Waitress (uncredited)
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Airplane Passenger (uncredited)
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Madame Pusawa (uncredited)
Ray Pourchot ...
Agent (uncredited)
Paul Power ...
Party Guest (uncredited)
Charles H. Radilak ...
Sven (uncredited)
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Party Guest (uncredited)
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German Radio Dispatcher (uncredited)
Rube Schaffer ...
Messenger (uncredited)
Abigail Shelton ...
Olga (uncredited)
Glenn Stensel ...
Minor Role (uncredited)
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C.B.I. Supervisor (uncredited)
Egon Strohm ...
Concierge (uncredited)
Harro ten Brook ...
Reiner (uncredited)
Gerd Vespermann ...
Oswald (uncredited)
Anatol Winogradoff ...
Uncle Jack (uncredited)

Directed by

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André De Toth ... (directed by) (as Andre De Toth)

Written by

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Boris Morros ... (book "Ten Years a Counterspy") and
Charles Samuels ... (book "Ten Years a Counterspy")
 
John H. Kafka ... (screenplay) (as John Kafka) and
Virginia Shaler ... (screenplay)
 
James P. Cavanagh ... () (uncredited)
 
James L. Shute ... () (uncredited)

Produced by

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Louis De Rochemont III ... co-producer
Louis De Rochemont ... producer
Ronald Kinnoch ... producer: Columbia (uncredited)
Lothar Wolff ... co-producer

Music by

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George Duning

Cinematography by

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Albert Benitz ... director of photography: Berlin, Germany
Charles Lawton Jr. ... director of photography: Hollywood
Pierre Poincarde ... director of photography: Moscow, Russia
Gayne Rescher ... director of photography: New York

Editing by

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Al Clark

Art Direction by

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Carl Anderson
Hans Jürgen Kiebach ... (uncredited)
Fritz Maurischat ... (uncredited)

Set Decoration by

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James Crowe ... (as James M. Crowe)

Production Management

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Kurt Hartmann ... production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Jean Hoerler ... assistant director
Eddie Saeta ... assistant director

Sound Department

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Lambert E. Day ... sound (as Lambert Day)

Camera and Electrical Department

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Albert Benitz ... cinematographer: Berlin
Pierre Poincarde ... cinematographer: Moscow
Gayne Rescher ... cinematographer: New York

Music Department

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Arthur Morton ... orchestrator
Morris Stoloff ... musical director

Production Companies

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Distributors

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Special Effects

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Other Companies

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Storyline

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Plot Summary

After 1919, Russian Boris Mitrov immigrates to the USA where he becomes an American citizen. Over the decades he builds a career in the film industry. In 1959, Mitrov is a movie producer with many rich influential friends. He continues to cultivate other Russian émigrés like himself and even some members of the Soviet Embassy in Washington. One of his Soviet friends is Embassy official Vladimir "Vadja" Kubelov. In reality, Kubelov is a KGB colonel who finds Mitrov useful to the Soviet cause by providing certain services. For instance, Mitrov provides reference letters of employment for various Soviet sleeper agents in the USA. Mitrov throws parties for Soviet diplomats, spies and American Communists such as millionaire bankers Adrian and Helen Benson. All these activities catch the attention of American intelligence agency CBI which places Mitrov and his entourage under close surveillance. When the CBI confronts Mitrov about his activities, he admits it but claims naivete. Eager to loyally serve the USA, Mitrov agrees to be a double-spy for the CBI. Under CBI's guidance Mitrov continues to play useful host to the Soviets to gain their total confidence and penetrate the Kremlin. Thus, Mitrov receives a bogus assignment from the US Government to film in West Berlin. He will be assisted by his assistant, Bob Avery, who is a CBI agent. West Berlin is a hotbed of spies and Mitrov hopes that his Communist contacts will recommend him to the Soviet side. His references are the Communist American bankers, the Bensons, and his friend from the Washington Soviet Embassy, KGB colonel Vladimir Kubelov. The game is on. Written by nufs68

Plot Keywords
Taglines The biggest top-secret spy story of our time! See more »
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Parents Guide Add content advisory for parents »
Certification

Additional Details

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Also Known As
  • Spy and Counterspy (United States)
  • Ten Years a Counterspy (United States)
  • Confessions of a Counterspy (Ireland, English title)
  • Confessions of a Counterspy (United Kingdom)
  • Contre-espionnage (France)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 92 min
Country
Language
Color
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Sound Mix
Filming Locations

Did You Know?

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Trivia Film debut of Ted Knight. See more »
Goofs The K-9s look straight at the cameras and even move towards them, instead of walking with the actors who are meant to be their handlers. See more »
Movie Connections Referenced in Going Attractions: The Definitive Story of the Movie Palace (2019). See more »

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