New British film Operation Mincemeat is the extraordinary story of two intelligence officers who changed the course of World War II. They saved tens of thousands of lives and helped break Hitler’s deadly grip on Europe by recruiting the skills of the most unlikely of secret agents - a dead man.
The film is set in 1943, with the Allies determined to launch an all-out assault on Sicily in a bid to weaken the Nazi’s stranglehold on occupied Europe. But they face an almost impossible challenge - how to protect their massive invading force from potential massacre.
It falls to the two intelligence officers Ewen Montagu - played by Colin Firth - and Charles Cholmondeley - played by Matthew Macfayden - who dream up an inspired and improbable disinformation strategy. Their idea is to fool Nazi Germany into thinking their plan is to invade Greece and Sardinia instead - by dressing up the corpse of a homeless man as a Royal Marine and planting bogus documents on him that point towards the fake invasion.
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The body is then dumped in the sea so it washes up in Spain. The two intelligence officers gamble on the phoney intelligence being obediently passed on to Hitler.
The logic-defying plan risks the lives of thousands of soldiers and tests the nerves of its creators to breaking point. But will it succeed?
Is Operation Mincemeat a true story?
The film is based on an extraordinary and true story. It is an adaptation of the nonfiction book of the same name by Ben Macintyre.
The story has actually been told before, too. It was the basis for the 1956 film The Man Who Never Was, which was adapted from the memoirs of intelligence officer Ewen Montagu.
But many films and books that came soon after the war were prevented from telling the entire story because of propagandising and officialdom. So Macintyre’s extensively researched bestseller is considered the final word on the incredible episode.
When is Operation Mincemeat released?
The film is directed by John Madden, best known for his work on Shakespeare in Love. It is out in cinemas tomorrow (Friday 15 April).
Is Operation Mincemeat on Netflix?
It will initially only be available to watch in cinemas in the UK. But it is set to land on Netflix in North and Latin America on 11 May.
