Man on a String
Man on a String is a 1960 neo noir film drama directed by Andre DeToth, loosely based on the life of Boris Morros. The film was released by Columbia Pictures and stars Ernest Borgnine and Kerwin Mathews.[1] It was the last film DeToth had directed in the United States.
| Man on a String | |
|---|---|
 film poster | |
| Directed by | Andre DeToth |
| Produced by | Louis de Rochemont |
| Screenplay by | John Kafka Virginia Shaler |
| Based on | My Ten Years as a Counterspy by Boris Morros with Charles Samuels |
| Starring | Ernest Borgnine Kerwin Mathews Colleen Dewhurst Alexander Scourby |
| Music by | George Duning |
| Cinematography | Albert Benitz Charles Lawton Jr. Pierre Pioncarde Gayne Rescher |
| Edited by | Al Clark |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date | March 25, 1960 |
Running time | 92 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Plot
A government intelligence agency in Washington, D.C., wants agent Frank Sanford to follow Boris Mitrov, a film producer who appears to also be a Russian spy. Helen and Adrian Benson, a wealthy American couple with a home in Beverly Hills and a film studio, are Communist sympathizers as well, in league with Colonel Vadja Kubelov, the top KGB man in the U.S.
Boris's office is bugged by his assistant, Bob Avery, a plant who is working for the Americans. Now that he has been caught red-handed, Boris is willing to turn double agent, going to Berlin in the pretense of making a documentary film there.
Helen is having an affair with Kubelov, but the Bensons' home has been bugged and they try to flee to Mexico. In the meantime, Boris is sent to Moscow to be entrusted with a new assignment, so Avery gives him a code word ("Cinerama") in case he's ever in danger.
Upon learning that Adrian intends to expose Boris and Kubelov publicly, Avery is able to alert Boris to get back to Germany as soon as possible. A checkpoint is closed, but Boris shoots a police officer and escapes safely to West Berlin, only to end up in a fight for his life with a Russian assassin.
Cast
- Ernest Borgnine as Boris Mitrov
- Kerwin Mathews as Bob Avery
- Colleen Dewhurst as Helen Benson
- Alexander Scourby as Colonel Vadja Kubelov
- Glenn Corbett as Frank Sanford
- Ed Prentiss as Adrian Benson
- Eve McVeagh as Madame Pusawa
Home media
Man on a String was released to DVD by Sony Picture Home Entertainment on March 4, 2011, via its DVD-on-demand system available through Amazon.
See also
References
- Eleanor Mannikka. "Man on a String (1960) - André De Toth | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related". AllMovie. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
External links
- Man on a String on IMDb
- Man on a String at the TCM Movie Database