Operation Amsterdam: Difference between revisions
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''Variety'' said it had "plenty of excitement".<ref>[https://archive.org/details/variety213-1959-01/page/n392/mode/1up?q=%22mihcael+mccarthy%22 Review of film] at Variety</ref> |
''Variety'' said it had "plenty of excitement".<ref>[https://archive.org/details/variety213-1959-01/page/n392/mode/1up?q=%22mihcael+mccarthy%22 Review of film] at Variety</ref> |
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The ''New York Times'' said "a surprisingly lukewarm drama has been culled from this tingling, true-life incident... Although it offers some fine tense panoramas of its doomed background, the picture remains curiously conventional in size and scope.... Not until the finale does the picture really get off its haunches.There are two consistent assets, one being a crisp, direct performance by Mr. Britton, as the realistic leader of the daring trio. First, last and always, there is Amsterdam itself."<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1960/07/07/archives/operation-amsterdam-takes-place-here.html|date=7 July 1960|first=Howard|last=Thompson|title=Operation Amsterdam' Takes Place Here}}</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
{{reflist}} |
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== External links == |
== External links == |
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*{{IMDb title|id=0053140|title=Operation Amsterdam}} |
*{{IMDb title|id=0053140|title=Operation Amsterdam}} |
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*[https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b751a4b8f Operation Amsterdam] at BFI |
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*[https://letterboxd.com/film/operation-amsterdam/ Operation Amsterdam] at Letterbox DVD |
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*[https://www.reelstreets.com/films/operation-amsterdam/ Operation Amsterdam] at Reel Streets |
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*[https://archive.org/details/adventureindiamo009653mbp ''Adventure in Diamonds''] — source novel |
*[https://archive.org/details/adventureindiamo009653mbp ''Adventure in Diamonds''] — source novel |
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Revision as of 02:39, 11 August 2020
Operation Amsterdam | |
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![]() Original cinema poster | |
Directed by | Michael McCarthy |
Written by | John Eldridge Michael McCarthy |
Based on | novel Adventure in Diamonds by David E. Walker. |
Produced by | Maurice Cowan |
Starring | Peter Finch Eva Bartok Tony Britton |
Cinematography | Reginald Wyer |
Edited by | Arthur Stevens |
Music by | Philip Green |
Production company | Maurice Cowan Productions & Rank Organisation[2] |
Distributed by | Rank Organisation (UK) 20th Century Fox (US)[2] |
Release dates | |
Running time | 104 minutes |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Operation Amsterdam is a 1959 British action film, directed by Michael McCarthy, and featuring Peter Finch, Eva Bartok and Tony Britton. It is based on a true story as described in the book Adventure in Diamonds, by David E Walker.[3] The action of the story covers a few days in May 1940 when the Germans invaded the Netherlands. The composer Philip Green composed two original pieces of music for the film, the Pierement Waltz and the Amsterdam Polka.[4]
Plot
In May 1940, as the German invasion of the Netherlands is under way, the British government decides to send a team to the Netherlands on board HMS Walpole [5] to secure stocks of industrial diamonds before the invaders can get to them. Accordingly, two Dutch diamond experts, Jan Smit (Peter Finch) and Walter Keyser (Alexander Knox) with a British Army Intelligence officer, Major Dillon (Tony Britton), are dropped by ship off the Dutch coast. Dodging German bombs and suspicious Dutch police and soldiers, they commandeer a car driven by Anna (Eva Bartok), whom they have just saved from trying to commit suicide. The four of them drive to Amsterdam.
They meet Jan's father at his diamond business house and he agrees to try to persuade other dealers to bring their diamonds later that day for transport to Britain. But as many of the stones are stored in a time-locked bank vault which won't open for 24 hours, they recruit a group of sabotage experts to break in.
With the Dutch police, including suspected fifth columnists, on their trail, the group manage to break into the vault and recover the diamonds. The three visitors make their escape whilst the armed Dutch helpers hold down the police and soldiers. They drive back to the coast, barely dodging German bombers.
As they embark on a commandeered tugboat to take them back to the waiting ship, Anna elects to remain in the Netherlands and work with the nascent resistance movement.
Cast
- Peter Finch as Jan Smit
- Eva Bartok as Anna
- Tony Britton as Major Dillon
- Alexander Knox as Walter Keyser
- Malcolm Keen as Johan Smit
- Christopher Rhodes as Alex
- Alfred Burke as Dealer
- Tim Turner as Dutch lieutenant
- Carl Jaffe as Diamond merchant
- John Horsley as Commander Bowerman
- Keith Pyott as Diamond merchant
- Melvyn Hayes as Willem
- Oscar Quitak as Diamond merchant
- George Pravda as Portmaster
- Peter Swanwick as Peter
- Petra Davies as Menschi
- John Bailey as Officer
- John Le Mesurier as Dutch Colonel
Production
The film was based on a true story. British intelligence smuggled out ten million pounds worth of industrial diamonds from Schmidt's Diamonds in Amsterdam.[6]
Filming took place in October 1958.[7] It was shot at Pinewood Studios and on location in Amsterdam.
"I like my part in the film, it is one of my strongest", said Finch during filming.[8]
Reception
The film was one of seven Rank films bought for distribution in the US by 20th Century Fox. The others were Upstairs and Downstairs, Sink the Bismarck!, Northwest Frontier, Ferry to Hong Kong, The Wind Cannot Read and The Captain's Table.[9]
Variety said it had "plenty of excitement".[10]
The New York Times said "a surprisingly lukewarm drama has been culled from this tingling, true-life incident... Although it offers some fine tense panoramas of its doomed background, the picture remains curiously conventional in size and scope.... Not until the finale does the picture really get off its haunches.There are two consistent assets, one being a crisp, direct performance by Mr. Britton, as the realistic leader of the daring trio. First, last and always, there is Amsterdam itself."[11]
References
- ^ a b IMDn release info Retrieved 2011-09-05
- ^ a b IMDb Company credits Retrieved 2011-09-05
- ^ Adventure in Diamonds
- ^ Dutch Polka
- ^ HMS Walpole, event 13 May 1940 – uboat.net
- ^ Filmer, Fay (20 September 1958). "GOSSIP". Picture Show. 71 (1851). London: 3–4.
- ^ Scheuer, Philip K. (16 October 1958). "Old Yeller' Author Sells 'Creek' Tale: Gipson, Nash on, New Scripts; Rank Studios Found Thriving". Los Angeles Times: B11.
- ^ Nepean, Edith (1 November 1958). "Round the British Studios". Picture Show. 71 (1857). London: 11.
- ^ "Of Local Origin". New York Times: 25. 7 January 1960.
- ^ Review of film at Variety
- ^ Thompson, Howard (7 July 1960). "Operation Amsterdam' Takes Place Here". New York Times.
External links
- Operation Amsterdam at IMDb
- Operation Amsterdam at BFI
- Operation Amsterdam at Letterbox DVD
- Operation Amsterdam at Reel Streets
- Adventure in Diamonds — source novel