Cracking the Code of Spy Movies!

5 Fingers Decoded!

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Episode notes

Dan and Tom decode the 1952 classic spy movie, 5 FINGERS.  This excellent movie starring James Mason is a fantastic espionage thriller, but not an action thriller.  And we think it works quite well that way.

5 FINGERS is based on the true story of Albanian-born Elyesa Bazna, who worked as a valet for the British ambassador to Turkey during World War II and became a Nazi spy. Also, it is based on the L.C. Moyzisch novel “Operation Cicero”.  If you are a fan of our podcast, undoubtedly noticed that we generally like spy movies based on reality.   Emphatically, 5 FINGERS is no exception.

We look at James Mason’s character's codename which is Cicero, and discuss the significance of that name. As well as the significance of the title. Specifically, beyond the “5-finger discount’s” obvious significance.

Dan and Tom also look at what they think are the positive aspects of 5 FINGERS. These include an intriguing plot, strong acting performances, a suspenseful atmosphere, and more.  

Tom is a huge fan of this movie.  And without a doubt, the last 90 seconds of this movie are a big reason.  The build-up, stress, and apparent relief throughout make this ending spectacular. James Mason’s performance at the end takes it significantly to great heights.

Dan and Tom also look at some of the negative comments they’ve read about 5 FINGERS and share their thoughts on those.

It is 5 FINGERS, not FIVE FINGERS

We should highlight that this episode is about the 1952 movie 5 FINGERS with the numeral 5 at the beginning.  There is a completely different movie from 2006 that has nothing to do with this one.

What are your thoughts?

Did you see 5 FINGERS? If so, do Dan and Tom have the right perspective? What did you think of this episode? Please let us know your thoughts, ideas for future episodes, and if you want to be notified of our next event. Just drop us a note at [email protected].  The more we hear from you, the better the show will be!  We’ll give you a shout-out in a future episode!

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