An American scientist is sent by the CIA to East Germany to retrieve a secret microfilm from a Soviet scientist interested in defecting to the West but the Stasi secret police's surveillance complicates matters.
Acting
Clift's hollow eyes—he was genuinely ill, not acting.
Cinematography
Gray East Berlin streets that suffocate hope.
Director
Raoul Lévy
Montgomery Clift
Professor James Bower
Hardy Krüger
Counselor Peter Heinzmann
Macha Méril
Frieda Hoffmann
David Opatoshu
Orlovsky
Christine Delaroche
Ingrid Weiß
Hannes Messemer
Dr. Saltzer
Karl Lieffen
Major Windisch
Uta Levka
Mädchen unter der Dusche
Roddy McDowall
Agent Adams
Johannes Buzalski
Agent (uncredited)
Eckart Dux
Professor James Bower (voice) (uncredited)
Jean-Luc Godard
Orlovsky's Friend (uncredited)
Eduard Linkers
Fluchthelfer Franz Ritter (uncredited)
Rolf Zacher
Tommy (uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This was Montgomery Clift's final completed film; he died of a heart attack at 45, four months after wrapping.
US
