"Although it’s based on the real-life World War II exploits of Eddie Chapman, a British spy, Terence Young’s Triple Cross (1966) seems a great deal like an early James Bond picture. This only makes sense since Young preceded his work on the film by directing Dr. No (1962), From Russia with Love (1963), and Thunderball (1965). Producer Jacques-Paul Bertrand intended for Young to infuse Chapman’s story with a certain debonair flair, and the two men stacked the deck in their favor by casting the casually suave Christopher Plummer as Chapman. Yul Brynner, Trevor Howard, Romy Schneider and Gert Frobe (the title villain of Goldfinger, 1964) fill out the supporting roles.
Plummer’s Chapman is a relatively amoral safecracker who is jailed on a remote island that’s taken over by the Germans during the War. He eventually convinces the Third Reich to let him spy for them. But he turns the tables when he informs the British of his activities, thus becoming a double agent. Plummer infuses Chapman with an enviable arrogance, even when he’s trying to put one over on Hitler’s minions. His adventures aren't particularly believable, even if they're based on fact, but they're fun to watch.
Given his past exploits, Chapman, strangely enough, was still living when Triple Cross was being filmed, and Young badly wanted him as his technical advisor. However, French authorities wouldn’t allow Chapman into the country because, for reasons that were never really ascertained, he had once kidnapped the sultan of Morocco."
That’s him. Though I’ve never heard about this kidnapping the Sultan of Morocco business. As things stand right now he is still in prison on the Isle of Jersey (the only British homeland conquered by the Germans in the war). Once the Nazi’s take over the island they will leave him in jail for a while and even after he gets out he runs afoul of them again prior to finally being accepted as a spy. But we will get to that in due course.
I think the next update is not until the end of 1940 so stay tuned.
I’ve been thinking of starting another subplot about another gentleman who right now is in Yugoslavia going to the university in Belgrade with an American passport. I’m remembering him because of the calls for Americans to get out of Europe. But his story doesn’t really start until 1941 so I have some time.