Enjoyable WW2 adventure set in 1942 Algeria, sort of a quota quickie Casablanca, with Mason a British spy on the run from the Nazis.

Some of it is quite good, including the Allied landing by submarine, based on the real-life Operation Flagpole, but what is good is let down a bit by other factors, including a lacklustre female lead, some large plot holes (wouldn't the first thing one would do with an arrested female spy is check her purse?), and far too much untranslated French and German dialogue. A weird tendency to lead up to action scenes, but then not have said action scenes happen on camera, doesn't help. Still, if you ever wanted to see James Mason in a fez, this is the film for you. Walter Rilla is the best thing in this film, and when the main Nazi is the best thing about a British war film, that's perhaps not a good sign.

As much as I admire this film's detail and accuracy, it has to be poined out that though Lovell's character is consistently called Oberst (Colonel), he's wearing a Generalmajor's rank insignia.