The Counterfeit Traitor (1962)

 

            “The Counterfeit Traitor” is the true story of Eric Erickson.  It is based on the book by Alexander Klein.  It was directed by George Seaton (“The Big Lift”, “36 Hours”).  Erickson was a Swiss-American who spied on Nazi Germany. 

            The movie starts in Stockholm in 1942.  Erickson (William Holden) is a successful oil man who has no qualms about exporting oil to Germany.  Sweden is neutral, so technically it’s legal.  And it’s capitalism.  He ends up being “recruited” by British intelligence.  Collins (Hugh Griffith) blackmails Erickson by threatening to shut down his oil business.  When Erickson claims that’s cold-blooded, Collins says he got that way by watching the Blitz.  Erickson becomes a faux Nazi-lover to get in tight with Nazi officials. He can’t even tell his wife, or his Jewish best friend.  His oil business allows him to travel to the Third Reich.  One of his contacts is the comely Marianne (Lillie Palmer).  She’s in it to fight evil.  The love that develops will influence his amoral attitude.  The two spies are being stalked by a Gestapo colonel (Wolfgang Preiss!).  Queue the cat and mouse. 

            “The Counterfeit Traitor” is about a half hour too long, but it had a story to tell and took the time. It’s a story based on a book that is based on the reminiscences of Erickson, who had a tenuous relationship with the truth.  But the biggest whopper, the romance with Marianne, is apparently true.  Erickson did fall for his OSS contact who was named Anne-Maria Freudenreich.  I can’t vouch for the rest of the people he were involved in his escapades.  As far as the man himself, the movie Erickson seems close to his real persona.  He was born in America and then migrated to Sweden in 1924.  He volunteered for the OSS.  I do not know if they blackmailed him into working for them.  He made over 30 trips to Germany to report on German synthetic oil plants. 

            While the story may perpetuate the lies Erickson told about his spying, the movie’s plot gives off the whiff of authenticity.  The romance is realistic and it does not dominate the narrative.  The movie is not stuffed with cliffhangers.  There are the usual close calls for an espionage movie.  His hobnobbing with Nazis is believable.  The film is character driven and it is strong in its characters.  It is a nice touch to have his best friend be Jewish, for instance.  The villains are hissable, especially a creepy Hitler Youth boy.  Unfortunately, Wolfgang Preiss is underused.

            “The Counterfeit Traitor” is a forgotten gem.  I had not heard of it until recently.  I was pleasantly surprised.  It’s not a great movie, but it is entertaining.  William Holden was on his game and it has a strong cast.  It’s a bonus that it is based on a true story, although loosely based.  It doesn’t go overboard on the spying, but you do get the impression that Erickson took major risks.  He doesn’t get caught.  That can not be said for everyone. 

GRADE  =  B