Five Fingers (1952)

Based on the true story of a World War II spy with access to top secret information in the British embassy in Turkey, this film follows the brief but bright career of an English valet, code-named Cicero, who seized his chance to sell expensive secrets to the Germans, including details about D-Day's Operation Overlord. The Nazi government, the British ambassador, and a Polish countess all dance on Mason's strings even as British counteragents close in. In the finest tradition of war intrigue films such as CASABLANCA, FIVE FINGERS is woven with patriotism, passion, war weariness, and greed, spearheaded by a magnificent performance by Mason as the tightly controlled valet who maintains his cool and ambition even in the face of his deteriorating plans. Director-writer Joseph L. Mankiewicz was nominated for Oscars for Best Director and Best Screenplay for his handiwork. FIVE FINGERS was based on the book OPERATION CICERO, by L.C. Moyzisch, the military attaché at the German embassy in Ankara, Turkey, who had dealings with the infamous spy.