The Man Between Page #4

Synopsis: In post-World War II Berlin, the British Susanne Mallison travels to Berlin to visit her older brother Martin Mallison, a military who married German Bettina Mallison. The naive Susanne snoops on Bettina and suspects she is hiding a something from her brother. When Susanne meets Bettina with her friend Ivo Kern, he offers to show Berlin to her and they date. But Ivo meets the strange Halendar from the East Germany and Susanne takes a cab and return to her home alone. Then she dates Ivo again and he meets Olaf Kastner, who is a friend of Martin and Bettina. But soon Susanne, who has fallen in love with Ivo, learns that he was a former attorney married to Bettina but with a criminal past during the war. Now he is blackmailed by Halendar to kidnap Kastner and bring him back to the other side of the border. The plan fails and Halender asks his men to abduct Bettina to get Kastner. However, Susanne is kidnapped by mistake and is imprisoned in the basement of a house in East Berlin. Now Ivo
Director(s): Carol Reed
Production: LionsGate Entertainment
  1 win.
 
IMDB:
7.2
NOT RATED
Year:
1953
100 min
55 Views


coming out of the house.

He said he was the very person

who could help him with...

letters of introduction...

guarantees and so on.

Yes, I dare say he could.

Could you ask him over

to the house so that...

Ivo could meet him and talk about it?

I don't see why not.

Martin, you wouldn't phone him now,

would you?

Yes, sure, of course I will.

I wouldn't do that.

No.

He won't mind. I can try at any rate.

No!

Ivo wants to get out of Berlin

and Mr. Kastner can help him.

Let Ivo look after himself:

he's had plenty of practice.

You had no right to make

any such promise!

- I'm sorry. - Well, it really doesn't

matter all that much. If Ivo wants--

I say you mustn't telephone!

I won't have it!

Darling, what is the matter

with you lately?

Oh, l expect I'm to blame.

That's the first sensible word

you've said since you came here.

And if you don't understand

what you've done...

it's because you're incapable

of understanding anything.

- It was you who introduced me to Ivo.

- Yes, and then what happens?

He smiles at you; he says he will

take you skating; you jump with joy.

You think, "He is a rou!

Where's my Paris hat?" and off you go.

And what do you know about him?

Nothing.

- Except he's a friend of yours.

- Shall I tell you about Ivo?

Your precious Ivo?

Your charming escort?

- He's a kidnapper

- Really--!

Yes:
a kidnapper! He steals people.

For weeks he has been tormenting me,

trying to force me to get Olaf here.

He's been driving me mad with--

with pleas and threats.

I've tried to warn you!

I've tried to tell you!

But why didn't you tell me about this?

I know what you suspected.

I know what you thought of me.

I want you to hear this...

You knew I was married before.

Martin, it was lvo I was married to.

Ivo?

And now I suppose

I'm still married to him.

I hadn't seen Ivo since '43.

He was reported missing in France

and then he was thought to be killed.

Martin and I had his death certified

so that we could be married.

Then, three weeks ago...

he appeared... from nowhere...

from the ruins of Berlin...

with a new name.

l wanted to tell you at once.

You can't have been afraid

to come and tell me?

No, but--but he persuaded me

that it would harm you...

that it would ruin your army career...

if they found out that you were living

with a woman who is not your wife.

The army would separate us. They

would send you away. I would lose you.

Once he had planted the fear,

he started to talk about Olaf Kastner.

He told me that he was

working for them in the East.

He said I must get Kastner here.

I knew what that meant.

They would leave together and Kastner

would be taken in the street.

If I haven't been very sensible,

darling, it's--it's because I love you.

And it's because I wanted

to protect you from all this dirt.

Anyway, I thought we'd better

come and tell the Police...

just what the position is.

We are generally called in

only when it is too late.

It is remarkable how few people

trust the Police in any country.

And since lvo Kern is so

eager for a meeting...

it would be a pity

to disappoint him, eh?

The young lady will telephone;

she will say that it is all arranged;

invite him to come for

a drink before lunch;

I will personally shake the cocktails.

How do you think they'll

try and get him?

They will not make any attempt

in the house of a British officer.

Anyway, they have no idea

what I look like.

To identify me, they will

need your friend:

the chap I met with you yesterday.

Ivo Kern?

Yes, they will try and grab me

as I leave your house with him.

And be perfectly casual,

just as always.

Better do as he says, Susanne.

Pity. He seems like a nice fellow.

- Would you do it?

- It's no use asking me.

He wouldn't listen to me.

I can't help you, Susanne.

You must decide for yourself.

Facts we deal in--not pretty pictures

of loyalty and sentiment, young lady.

Our friend Kastner here has

many times risked his life...

crossing to the East to rescue people

whose lives are in danger...

and is all the time supplying

us with information...

that is invaluable to the West.

Since you've been used

in their trick to identify him...

can you refuse to help us

at a moment like this?

Remember:
casual, ordinary.

Take it. Please.

Please!

Susanne, really!

- Hello.

- Hello, lvo? Is that you?

Hello? Yes.

I've spoken to Martin. He's asking Mr.

Kastner over for a drink before lunch.

Would you like to come?

Good. Fine. Yes, I'll be there.

No sign of them in the neighbourhood.

My men have circled the entire area.

I wish he had been punctual.

I had an appointment for lunch

at 1 o'clock. It's nearly 2.

They have been warned off somehow,

eh, Inspector?

Those are your men--the labourers

clearing rubble across the street?

They were working so hard, they knew

they couldn't be real labourers.

Bettina, I'm sorry to be such

a bother:
all this to-do.

Did you speak to him?

Does he know anything more about us?

It's pretty much as he said:

we're not married.

It makes it all rather

romantic, doesn't it?

- Please, not so near the window!

- He worries about me all the time.

If he had his way, I would have

armed guards, Police protection...

and a bullet-proof car.

They've told me what you do.

Oh, perhaps it's been exaggerated.

One just comes and goes.

Ah, splendid! After all,

I was invited here to have a drink.

- You'd like a whisky? Water or soda?

- Just water please.

- Martin, how about you?

- Not for me, thanks.

He's not coming.

What's that you say? Why?

He's not going to come.

I know those marks down there: he has

a boy on a bicycle who spies for him.

He's not going to come.

Of course he spies for them.

Where do you think a boy

like that gets a bicycle?

A new one. Out of pocket-money?

Alright, he's fooled us this time.

But I'll still get him.

Maybe it will be better

if you don't go out alone...

the next two days. Be careful.

What difference is it

going to make to us?

Now that you know we are

not properly married?

I'll have to take more care of you--

make sure I don't lose you.

You could send me away if you want to.

You are free to do as you like.

Somehow, they'll have to arrange

that we're not separated...

and get married again.

You have to ask me first.

Come on, Martin.

Will you, Bettina?

I don't know.

I have to think about it.

I thought I'd go over to BEA

to see about my return ticket.

- I'm sorry, Susanne. - Stay a little

longer, won't you, Susanne?

I'll come back again when I...

Bye. I won't be long.

The fools! I should like to come

with you and see you make your report.

"Please, sir, I have kidnapped

the wrong woman."

You will certainly get

promotion for this.

You've made yourself famous at last:

another International Incident--

the sister of a British Army officer!

What next? Perhaps the wife of the

French Ambassador to keep her company?

Be quiet!

It was a terrible mistake.

A very reasonable explanation.

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Harry Kurnitz

Harry Kurnitz (January 5, 1908 – March 18, 1968) was an American playwright, novelist, and prolific screenwriter who wrote swashbucklers for Errol Flynn and comedies for Danny Kaye. He also wrote some mystery fiction under the name Marco Page. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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