clanciai It takes some time before the action gets going in this film, but when it starts it never ceases to accelerate in intrigue, suspension and drama. Annemarie Duringer is prominetly leading the film by her very suave and susceptible character, most amiable but with an abyss of hidden agenda. Nigel Patrick is perfect as usual, almost too perfect, while Jeffrey Hunter is a bit of an outsider in this game, can't really handle his business nor himself, and he has to pay for it. It's very dark and almost claustrophobic in the insistency on scenes in labyrinthine insides, and only rarely you go out into dark streets för some following or spying or bullets. The title "Count Five and Die" gives away the whole drama - as a spy sent out on a mission you are given a cyanide capsule in case you get caught, and when you swallow it you count to five and die. It's very easy but not really and actually rather complicated, as you don't always reach that capsule in time...It reminds very much of Anthony Asquith's "Orders to Kill" a few years earlier, it's the same kind of problems of innocence and the wrong people getting caught up in the wrong game, and above all the doom of destiny is there hanging around more people than anyone bargained for.

lucyrfisher This movie starts well, with a trip round the offices of a film distribution company that is the spies' "cover", and the shabby bedroom opposite with two chaps filming anyone who comes or goes, with a rifle in case they really have to shoot anybody. Nigel Patrick and Jeffrey Hunter are good actors. I love b/w movies made and set during WWII and just after, but a kind of rot set in. Slightly relaxed censorship meant that Patrick and Hunter constantly make smirking references to the female characters - there are almost wolf whistles on the sound track. I gather that Hunter and Duringer's later affair is no-holds-barred. But this put me off watching any further. I was also turned off by the inability of the designers to even attempt 40s style. I suppose that by the late 50s wartime fashions seemed utterly frumpy, and no actress would have the long hair necessary for the elaborate styles.

j_eyon-2 a pitifully budgeted - b&w - British film - all the scenes seem shot in as small a set as possible - the few outdoor shots are a reliefaltho based on a true story of a joint British and OSS effort to mislead the Germans regarding the invasion of europe by the allies - the plan was clever - but the movie's plot feels contrived and unconvincingthe actors are better than the script - Jeff Hunter acquits himself well - altho this confirms he was never a potent screen presence - but neither were co-stars Nigel Patrick or swiss actress Annemarie Düringer or anyone else

Johnboy1221 I don't believe that this film is based on real events, as there is no evidence of it. However, it is made to make us think that's the case. British filmmakers were always so good with this type of movie.Regardless, it's a well-made, believable tale, with good acting, writing, and direction.My only complaint is that the ending leaves us wondering what happened to Jeffrey Hunter's character. Does he survive being shot? Does he get an award for his actions? Inquiring minds need to know. Endings like this one are so frustrating.Would love to see a widescreen DVD release of this film one day. It deserves a release.