10 Feb Background to Danger
Background to Danger, WWII spy movie starring George Raft, Peter Lorre, and Sydney Greenstreet.
(1943) In the early years of the war, an American businessman traveling by train through Turkey encounters a beautiful woman who asks him to carry some papers for her. From that point on after he is chased, captured, and rescued he is determined to unravel the mystery he has encountered.
Turkey, like Sweden, was neutral during World War II. Americans, British, Germans, Russians … all roamed the streets and frequented the bars and restaurants. And they were all spying on each other.
As it turns out, one of the characters is recognizably OSS, as the Office of Strategic Services was definitely in Turkey.
Background to Danger was based on a book by a British mystery writer Eric Ambler. According to the Encyclopedia of British Writers, 19th and 20th Centuries by Christine L. Krueger, Ambler made more than 100 films for the British War Office during the war. In 1989, he received the first Golden Dagger Award from the veterans of the OSS … many of his spy novels had OSS connections.
The script of the 1943 movie was changed a bit from the 1937 novel to reflect what was happening in Turkey during World War II. Interestingly, the “good guys” are intent on helping our Allies, the Russians, beat the Nazis.
According to the TCM article Background to Danger was a follow-up project after Casablanca. In fact, I read that George Raft (star of this movie) had been offered the role of Rick! Thank goodness Bogart got it!
George Raft is intrigued with a 2nd beautiful woman, a Russian. Her part was played by Brenda Marshall a beautiful actress who reminded me of Jennifer Garner. Marshall had married William Holden in 1941. They would be married until 1971, but it was tumultuous due to Holden’s frequent affairs.
So I enjoyed watching Background to Danger primarily because of the OSS connection in a neutral country. It made me happy that my mother went to Sweden with the OSS and not Turkey.
Background to Danger (Remastered Edition) at amazon.com
al sage
Posted at 19:46h, 02 JuneMy father, Albert Liston Sage, Jr., flew with the OSS. He was a radio operator. They flew over Norway dropping supplies and propaganda material. Once he was shot down by the Russians. His pilot was Keith Allen.
Does any of this ring a bell with you? I would like to read your book when you are done.
Pat DiGeorge
Posted at 18:05h, 03 JuneThank you Al. I do have some information for you and sent it to your email address. Your Dad flew with Bernt Balchen as part of Operation Sonnie. https://libertyladybook.com/2011/01/24/come-north-with-me/