The Man Between
Encyclopedia
The Man Between is a 1953 British thriller film directed by Carol Reed
and starring James Mason
, Claire Bloom
, Hildegard Knef
and Geoffrey Toone
. A British woman on a visit to post-war Berlin
is caught up in an espionage ring smuggling secrets into and out of the Eastern Bloc
.
) is a former attorney who had once participated in Nazi atrocities, and is now selling his expertise to German communists to kidnap and transport certain West Germans to the eastern bloc. Although Kern desires to relocate to the West he is hampered by West German suspicions and his criminal past. Nevertheless, he agrees to a final kidnapping venture that fails, forcing his employer to take over and abduct Briton Susanne Mallison (Claire Bloom
) by mistake. Kern had earlier feigned a romance with Mallison as a means to seize his kidnapping target.
The abduction of Mallison presents Kern with an opportunity to both return the unfortunate victim to the West and impress western authorities of his atonement. Despite Kern's selfish and darkened facade, Mallison still falls in love with the defector. She tells him that she can see humanity deep inside the former attorney who had once studied to defend the innocent and the 'rights of man.' This glimpse also appears to a young East Berlin boy who assists Kern and Mallison in their attempt to escape, as he follows Kern everywhere and the boy is treated with kindness. Kern almost admits his affection for Mallison on one occasion but he directs the conversation back to his sordid past and the escape attempt.
Ultimately, as Kern and Mallison are only a few feet from the Berlin gate while hidden in the back of a truck, their escape goes awry. Kern distracts the border guards as he runs from the vehicle, shouting at Mallison to hurry into the West. As her truck crosses the neutral zone and she reaches back for Kern, he is gunned down by the guards, and in doing so he gives his life to save hers.
Carol Reed
Sir Carol Reed was an English film director best known for Odd Man Out , The Fallen Idol , The Third Man and Oliver!...
and starring James Mason
James Mason
James Neville Mason was an English actor who attained stardom in both British and American films. Mason remained a powerful figure in the industry throughout his career and was nominated for three Academy Awards as well as three Golden Globes .- Early life :Mason was born in Huddersfield, in the...
, Claire Bloom
Claire Bloom
Claire Bloom is an English film and stage actress.-Early life:Bloom was born in the North London suburb of Finchley, the daughter of Elizabeth and Edward Max Blume, who worked in sales...
, Hildegard Knef
Hildegard Knef
Hildegard Frieda Albertine Knef was a German actress, singer and writer. She was billed in some English language films as Hildegard Neff or Hildegarde Neff.-Early years:...
and Geoffrey Toone
Geoffrey Toone
Geoffrey Toone was an Irish-born character actor.Most of Toone's film roles after the 1930s were in supporting parts, usually as authority figures, though he did play the lead character in the Hammer Films production The Terror of the Tongs in 1961Toone was born in Dublin, Ireland to English...
. A British woman on a visit to post-war Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
is caught up in an espionage ring smuggling secrets into and out of the Eastern Bloc
Eastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
.
Plot
Ivo Kern (James MasonJames Mason
James Neville Mason was an English actor who attained stardom in both British and American films. Mason remained a powerful figure in the industry throughout his career and was nominated for three Academy Awards as well as three Golden Globes .- Early life :Mason was born in Huddersfield, in the...
) is a former attorney who had once participated in Nazi atrocities, and is now selling his expertise to German communists to kidnap and transport certain West Germans to the eastern bloc. Although Kern desires to relocate to the West he is hampered by West German suspicions and his criminal past. Nevertheless, he agrees to a final kidnapping venture that fails, forcing his employer to take over and abduct Briton Susanne Mallison (Claire Bloom
Claire Bloom
Claire Bloom is an English film and stage actress.-Early life:Bloom was born in the North London suburb of Finchley, the daughter of Elizabeth and Edward Max Blume, who worked in sales...
) by mistake. Kern had earlier feigned a romance with Mallison as a means to seize his kidnapping target.
The abduction of Mallison presents Kern with an opportunity to both return the unfortunate victim to the West and impress western authorities of his atonement. Despite Kern's selfish and darkened facade, Mallison still falls in love with the defector. She tells him that she can see humanity deep inside the former attorney who had once studied to defend the innocent and the 'rights of man.' This glimpse also appears to a young East Berlin boy who assists Kern and Mallison in their attempt to escape, as he follows Kern everywhere and the boy is treated with kindness. Kern almost admits his affection for Mallison on one occasion but he directs the conversation back to his sordid past and the escape attempt.
Ultimately, as Kern and Mallison are only a few feet from the Berlin gate while hidden in the back of a truck, their escape goes awry. Kern distracts the border guards as he runs from the vehicle, shouting at Mallison to hurry into the West. As her truck crosses the neutral zone and she reaches back for Kern, he is gunned down by the guards, and in doing so he gives his life to save hers.
Cast
- James MasonJames MasonJames Neville Mason was an English actor who attained stardom in both British and American films. Mason remained a powerful figure in the industry throughout his career and was nominated for three Academy Awards as well as three Golden Globes .- Early life :Mason was born in Huddersfield, in the...
- Ivo Kern - Claire BloomClaire BloomClaire Bloom is an English film and stage actress.-Early life:Bloom was born in the North London suburb of Finchley, the daughter of Elizabeth and Edward Max Blume, who worked in sales...
- Susanne Mallison - Hildegard KnefHildegard KnefHildegard Frieda Albertine Knef was a German actress, singer and writer. She was billed in some English language films as Hildegard Neff or Hildegarde Neff.-Early years:...
- Bettina Mallison - Geoffrey TooneGeoffrey TooneGeoffrey Toone was an Irish-born character actor.Most of Toone's film roles after the 1930s were in supporting parts, usually as authority figures, though he did play the lead character in the Hammer Films production The Terror of the Tongs in 1961Toone was born in Dublin, Ireland to English...
- Martin Mallison - Aribert WäscherAribert Wäscher-Selected filmography:* Lady Windermeres Fächer * Women Are Better Diplomats * Rembrandt * The Adventures of Fridolin * The Man Between -External links:...
- Halendar - Ernst SchröderErnst SchröderErnst Schröder was a German mathematician mainly known for his work on algebraic logic. He is a major figure in the history of mathematical logic , by virtue of summarizing and extending the work of George Boole, Augustus De Morgan, Hugh MacColl, and especially Charles Peirce...
- Olaf Kestner - Dieter KrauseDieter KrauseDieter Krause is an East German-German sprint canoer who competed from the late 1950s to the mid 1960s...
- Horst - Hilde Sessak - Lizzi
- Karl JohnKarl JohnKarl John is a Swiss orienteering competitor. He received an individual silver medal at the 1970 World Orienteering Championships, and a silver medal in relay in 1972.-References:...
- Inspector Kleiber - Ljuba WelitschLjuba WelitschLjuba Welitsch was a celebrated Bulgarian, later Austrian, operatic soprano.She studied singing at Sofia Conservatory with professor Georgi Zlatev-Cherkin. After specializing in Vienna, she first appeared in Sofia in 1936...
- Opera singer