CODE NAME: EMERALD

US, 1985, 93 minutes, Colour.
Ed Harris, Max Von Sydow, Horst Buchholz, Helmut Berger.
Directed by Jonathan Sanger.

Code Name: Emerald is a very enjoyable World War II thriller and espionage story. Made in 1985, it seems a throwback to the films of the '40s, '50s and '60s.

Filmed on location in Europe, it follows the work of a double agent, effectively played by Ed Harris. On a rehearsal for the D- Day landing, an officer (played by Eric Stoltz) is captured and is interrogated for information about D- Day. The trio of Russian interrogators is played by Max von Sydow, Horst Buchholtz and Helmut Berger. It is indicated that one of them is a double agent for Britain. Emerald returns to Paris to take part in the interrogations as well as to save the young radio operator. The film shows something of what it was to live in Paris during the war, the tensions with the Gestapo and the interrogations, the place of the Resistance as well as of the collaborators.

The cast is strong and, while the material is not particularly new, they play it for what it is worth and keep audience interest.

1.Interesting World War II story? Espionage and interrogation? The perspective of the mid-'80s on 40 years earlier?

2.English and French locations? The atmosphere of Paris during the war? German headquarters, the Resistance, restaurants? The action sequences? Musical score (by John Addison)?

3.The title, indication of the plot, focus on Lang and his work as double agent, Emerald?

4.The background to D-Day: the atmosphere of 1944, Allied preparations, Nazi Germany wanting information about Operation Overlord and trying to capture any Overlord for interrogation? The newsreel background of the period? Incorporated into the film? The British authorities, the exercise - and information about the risk, the deaths, the decision to mislead the Nazis? The Germans and their intelligence, spies, networks, true information, false information? The German officials? The Irish spy?

5.Lang, his work for the British? His relationship with the authorities, the discussion of the operation? The capture of Andy - and his suggesting false information about his health to protect him from torture? His contact with the Irish spy? Feeding false information to the Germans? The suggestion by the Germans that he be part of the interrogation team? British support, parachuted into France? Met by the Resistance, the contact on the train, his accommodation? Making contact with the Germans?

6.The German authorities, their different styles? Brausch and his experience? Interrogations? Walter Hoffmann and his urbane style? Humane? Ritter as the Nazi, his authoritarianism, anti-Semitic stances? Their discussions, the tactics for interrogating Andy? Their allowing Emerald to come onto the interrogation team?

7.Andy, his experience, captured? Audience information about his background? With the men, love for baseball? In prison? The health report? Isolation and disorientation? Lang coming into the cell, opening up to him, giving his name? Discussions about baseball? Lang gradually revealing the truth - and the false information about D- Day at Calais? His anguish? His being allowed some freedom because of the alleged torture of Lang? His confusion? His ultimately giving the information?

8.Lang, his cover, the relationship with Clare, the affair? The restaurant sequences, Ritter and his anti-Semitic stances? His not knowing who was the spy for the British? The interrogations, the plans? The stances of Ritter? Hoffmann and his suspicions - and the manoeuvre for his death? Brausch and his support? His taking over command, taking Andy, walking him with Brausch to the car, the escape, the waiting plane?

9.Clare, the Underground, the background of the father of her child? The affair with Lang? The broadcasts to Britain? The arrest of her friend? Ritter and his spying on her, getting her ex-husband and interrogating him? Killing him? Her support of Lang, the escape with her son?

10.The Irish spy, contact with Lang? Changing allegiances with the Germans? Discovering the false report? Giving information to Hoffmann about Lang?

11.The background of German interrogations and prisons? Styles of torture? Working on information? Double agents and infiltration and cover? The Resistance and collaboration?

12.An entertaining memoir of the days of World War II and the preparation for D-Day?