Occupied France during World War II. An American intelligence agent in England, Maj. Joe Dawson (Robert Goulet), in disgrace and ashamed for having yielded information to the Germans during a previous capture, is determined to kidnap the high-ranking top Nazi General Stryker (Carl Duering) and obtain Stryker's valuable secrets, in an attempt to redeem himself after breaking under torture by Nazis, which led to the murders of six people, including his wife.
Stryker is being recalled to Berlin because the Gestapo questions his loyalty to Hitler. Dawson manages to parachute into occupied France and hijacks a mission behind enemy lines in occupied France and allies with a French resistance group, where he secures the aid of the First Maquis (Jim Bartley). Dawson was actually not the man intended to perform the task and made the jump against orders. While working with the French underground, the truth comes out about his deception and the reason behind it.
Chrome-domed Boule (Lawrence Dobkin), leader of the guerrilla group, is distrustful of Dawson because of his coldblooded manner. A Frenchwoman, Yvonne (Danièle Gaubert), another member of the group, shares this feeling but is assigned to play the role of Dawson's wife in the scheme to kidnap Stryker. She is repulsed by his coldness and the nonchalance with which he kills in order to accomplish his ends, but she works with him for the cause. The plan is to arouse the suspicions of the Gestapo as to Stryker's loyalty in order to get him out into the open. Then, as he is being carried back to Germany for trial, he will be taken from his German guards.
Yvonne and the others eventually learn that Dawson and a woman companion (Ella More) had been in France before on the same vendetta, but they had been caught and tortured, with Dawson driven out of his mind before escaping back to England. There, he had been confined to a mental hospital. Having escaped from the hospital, Dawson is determined to complete his ultimate mission. Yvonne gradually becomes more sympathetic and falls in love with him.
Stryker is captured at a railroad station, but in a battle with the Nazis, most members of the maquis are killed, including Boule. Dawson makes sure that Stryker is aboard the British rescue plane to London, and he remains in France with Yvonne.
A 1970 American drama B-Movie directed by Arthur H. Nadel, produced by Arthur Gardner, Arnold Laven and Jules Levy, screenplay by Ron A. Bishop and Andy Lewis, sSory by Bishop and Marc L. Roberts, cinematography by Kenneth Talbot, starring Robert Goulet, Danièle Gaubert, Lawrence Dobkin, Carl Duering (Hur Ben Caleb in THE TEN COMMANDMENTS), Joachim Hansen, Roger Delgado, Alexander Peleg, George Pravda, Leon Lissek, Harry Brooks Jr., Sebastian Breaks, Nicole Croisille, Derry Power, Paul Murphy, Gerry Sullivan, Eamon Keane, Andre Charisse, and Andreas Malandrinos.While the prospect of a tough World War II thriller starring velvet-voiced Broadway and TV star Robert Goulet might not be enticing in the abstract, this is actually quite palatable. Featuring a clear story, a handful of decent surprises, and a steady stream of effective suspense scenes, the picture gives Goulet all the ammunition he needs to deliver a respectable performance, and while it’s true he does a bit of preening here and there, he makes an okay (if somewhat wooden) action hero.
Robert Gérard Goulet (1933 – 2007) was an American and Canadian stage, screen, and recording star of French-Canadian ancestry. He originated the role Sir Lancelot in the Broadway musical "Camelot " (1960) starring opposite established Broadway stars Richard Burton and Julie Andrews. "If Ever I Would Leave You" became his signature song. A Grammy Award winner, his career spanned almost six decades. He starred in a 1966 television version of Brigadoon, a production which won five primetime Emmy Awards.
"Gunsmoke" (CBS TV Series 1955–1975) writer Ron Bishop and "Klute" (1971) writer Andy Lewis provide the simple screenplay, which delivers the requisite action and intrigue and accompanying melodrama, including a predictable love triangle, and reliable composer Stanley Myers puts some blood in the flick’s veins.
Television-trained hack director Arthur H. Nadel, whose only other feature is the Elvis Presley musical "Clambake" (1967), presents the story without adornment, giving the movie a grungy edge even though the production values are slick, relying on Ireland locations for visual appeal.
United Artists released this on the back end of a double feature with the Mick Jagger vehicle "Ned Kelly" (1970).
The lighting is truly terrible. Much of the film takes place at night, and it is often impossible to see what is going on.
Robert Goulet is an offbeat choice to star in this low-budget World War II thriller. Since Goulet is the definition of a white-bread entertainer, it’s a kick to see him playing rough. Recommended for Robert Goulet completists. That's the only point of interest here.
