A bizarre, true-life tale of espionage in World War II, Operation Mincemeat is a film that sees a talented cast of thespians adding weight to an incredibly devious plan. It’s 1943 and British Intelligence, in a bid to outwit the Nazis, utilize the corpse of a homeless Welsh man and some false papers to send their foes looking in the wrong direction. About to relaunch an assault in Europe and invade Sicily, the Allies need to wrongfoot the enemy – or thousands of lives and the future of the war could be lost.
Colin Firth plays Ewen Montagu, the man tasked with making this work with painstaking attention to detail: setting up false sinkings, crafting the wording of documents and love letters, creating a persona for their floating man. The excellent Mathew MacFayden is Charles Cholmondley, his second in command, adding twitchy concern and depth to his patriot. Kelly MacDonald, keen to help the war effort after losing her husband in the conflict, aids and abets the espionage and becomes something of a love interest for Firth and Macfayden in a believably-resolved subplot.
The cast is rounded out by Jason Isaacs’ gruff commander, Penelope Winton’s wily tactician and Mark Gatiss as Firth’s potentially compromising brother. The film pays tribute to them all, as well as to the Welshman whose body they used to spread the lies: Glyndwr Michael, essentially denied a burial to further the needs of the country.
It’s a sensitively told tale with great performances from Firth and Macfayden and aware of some of its own absurdities, that despite the known outcome still manages to create real tension under John Madden’s direction. Unfortunately, as recent events have shown, disinformation about warfare is easy to create now; years ago, it was a different and more ingenious prospect, one which Operation Mincemeat pays tribute to in handsome style.
Dir: John Madden (12A, 128 mins)
Out Fri 15 Apr
words KEIRON SELF
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