Looking for a certain movie about post WWII.

June 23, 2021 7:43 PM

After WWII, a guy gets roped into a mission to locate a former Nazi officer. After many misadventures, he locates the man, who, incidentally, had shot an another Nazi officer during the War. We learn at the end that the man he shot was the agent's father. The agent wasn't the inept sort we took him for. He wanted to locate the target so he could shoot him as pay back.

As I recall, there was a narrow escape in a print shop.

posted by governale to Media & Arts (8 answers total)

Best answer: The Odessa File

terrific film.
posted by j_curiouser at 7:56 PM on June 23, 2021

Response by poster: Yup. That's it. Thanks so much.
posted by governale at 8:10 PM on June 23, 2021

Excellent book, also.
posted by pompomtom at 8:47 PM on June 23, 2021 [2 favorites]

100% on the book, and you should read it first. it's quite unforgettable. i advise you to read the author's forward, as it shows how much the culturally embedded nazis influenced society even into the 70s.
posted by j_curiouser at 9:04 PM on June 23, 2021 [4 favorites]

The book is indeed unforgettable, and, in one crucial respect, more morally ambiguous than the movie. In the book, the protagonist chillingly explains that he's not interested in bringing the perpetrators of the Holocaust to justice, he's only interested in avenging his father:

"Oh, dear God," he whispered, "you didn't come about the Jews at all."

"No. I'm sorry for them, but not that sorry."

Did Forsyth realise how cold-blooded that sounds? At any rate it was altered in the screenplay:

"So you didn't come about the Jews at all. I understand."

"No, you don't understand! What you and your kind did to all those people sickened the whole of mankind. But I'm here for my father."

posted by verstegan at 2:44 PM on June 24, 2021 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: I couldn't find the movie at our local library. While there, I took a look at the book and did a foolish thing.

In the very first line, Forsyth wrote that there was a "robin's-egg-blue sky." That irked me (it struck me as poor writing), so I put the book back on the shelf. When I got home, I regretted my decision. Will check it out tomorrow.

Plan to follow j_curiouser's advice and read the book before seeing the movie again.
posted by governale at 8:09 PM on June 24, 2021

Did Forsyth realise how cold-blooded that sounds?

It has been a while since I read it, but I think: yes.

I think that the protagonist is aware that he is swimming in a sea of [sin|awfulness|whatever]. He is aware that his vengeance is not really redemptive. He has just decided "Fuck it, this is something I can do, and it's no less moral than *waves hands*"
posted by pompomtom at 8:46 AM on June 25, 2021 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: I saw the film years ago and recently remembered it, but couldn't think of the title.

I wondered if Michael York had starred it and searched through all his movies hoping to find one that sounded like it, but no luck. Of course not, it stars Jon Voight.

Back in the day, not expecting a twist of any sort, I was stunned at the end of the film. I hope we haven't spoiled it for anyone who stumbles across this thread.
posted by governale at 9:51 AM on June 27, 2021