Diplomatic Courier

Recently I saw a 1952 movie that exceeded my expectations: Diplomatic Courier.

In the Cold War, Mike Kells (Tyrone Power) is a courier, who has the mission to meet his friend Sam Carew in a train in Europe and bring some documents back to Washington. However, Sam is killed on the train. Mike finds a hint in his pocket, indicating he should go to Trieste, Italy to find Janine (Hildegard Knef), Sam's last contact before he died. Meanwhile, Joan Ross (Patricia Neal), an American widow that Mike had met earlier, shows a great interest in Mike. Mike does not know, but he is being used by the American government as a bait to find the Communist spies.

Don't you just love the poster? I never saw the poster till now. The poster looks like it could be a cover to some pulp novel and not a movie. The movie is not as near salacious as the poster would lead you to believe though there is an undercurrent of sexual tension.

I hadn't expected a whole lot from the movie but I had fun watching it. I enjoyed the banter between Patricia Neal and Tyrone Power. He is caught up in a spy and murder mystery and she is a glamorous woman he met earlier and who is putting the moves on him. Ya know... as a guy, I enjoyed watching these scenes.


Here is some dialog to give you an idea of the movie. As this is a 1952 movie, the sexual chemistry is inferred and not explicit, and therefore more fun.

[Mike is at a nightclub in Trieste, Italy searching for Janine when he unexpectedly finds Joan, a woman he met days earlier on an airline flight.]

Joan: When I started this crazy tour the last thing I was looking for was a man. Why I should pick on you, I don’t know. After I know you better, I may not like you.

But I kept thinking about you and started looking for you. I phoned all over and Tony Bennis from the Paris embassy found out for me that you has come here. Michael, it was exactly 11:45 a few days ago when you left me. What time is it now? Check both watches.

Mike: Well, it’s exactly 11:37.

Joan: Do we resume? Heaven bless 11:37. ...I don’t.

Mike: Joan, I’d like nothing better in the world, but right now I’m sort of... I.. I.. I’m.. tied..

Joan: All right, I’m gonna lay my cards on the table. Michael, tell me the truth. Are you with someone?

Mike: [showing a photo of an attractive woman standing next to a bicycle] No. No, I’m chasing her. My dream girl.

Joan: Can’t be helped. Can’t be helped, can it? I apologize to you Michael. I’m truly sorry.

Mike: No, no, no. I’m only kidding about her. I’m only doing this for an acquaintance of a friend of mine. I promised to look her up and see about her.

Joan: Do you have to see about her tonight?

Mike: It doesn’t look as though I can tonight.

Joan: [leaning in with a smile and enthusiasm] Darling! Let’s explore Trieste together!

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Joan: I’m with those people over there. They’re much duller than you are. But they got far better manners so I have to lie like the dickens. Especially that one guy! He’s the captain. He thinks he is a mate of mine. You know the kind. So I have to be nice to him. Darling, can you wait two minutes?

Mike: Yup.

Joan: Well... I hardly can! ....I’m going to, darling.

[Joan leans in and passionately kisses Mike. As her dress is low cut her cleavage shows.]

[Scene changes to a waiter looking through some curtains at Joan and Mike. He has an astonished expression, and as he brushes his hair back with his hand his toupee falls back.]

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Mike: [To Janine concerning a man she knows] Well, he left in a hurry. It turned out he had an appointment to get killed. That’s right, his timing was a little off. You’ll be sorry to hear the car got him and not me.

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Janine: You’re making a great mistake Mr. Kells. Sam was my friend.

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Mike: [To Janine about Sam’s watch] Where did they get this? Did they take it off Sam’s body? Was it part of your pay?

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Janine: [To Mike and talking about Sam] He loved you as only some brothers love.

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Col. Mark Cagle: [About Janine] She’s an appealing dish no doubt. Most bad women are. One way or another, that’s why they can be so successfully bad.

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Col. Mark Cagle: [About bugging Janine’s apartment] I want to hear every word she says. I want to hear it when she reads.

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Mike: [About Joan] No. If I’m in this, it’s my own business. But she’s a woman. It’s lucky for her she’s sore at me. I stood her up last night.

Col. Mark Cagle: A thing like that just wets her appetite. She’ll meet you at one o’clock at the Nationale.

Mike: Don’t you stop at nothing?!

Col. Mark Cagle: She’s an American isn’t she? Let her do something for her country.

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Joan: You started by arousing the mother instinct in me, and now you got the whole works worked up. And you got something stirred up!

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Sgt. Ernie Guelvada: [to Mike about Mike seeing Joan again, which Ernie finds appealing] That puts it right in the line of duty. Unnh! Some duty!

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Sgt. Ernie Guelvada: [To Mike] Take it careful brother. You bruise easy.

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Mike: [To Janine] Oh no! No! No! I’ve been to your apartment. I don’t like what happens there. Like getting slugged.

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Sgt. Ernie Guelvada: You’re out of your mind going up there! You got a gun?

Mike: Ya.

Sgt. Ernie Guelvada: A flashlight?

Mike: No.

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Mike: [To Joan] Go home. Take off your spurs and go to bed.

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Joan: No questions please. I’m standing on the 5th amendment.

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Sgt. Ernie Guelvada: [upon seeing Joan] The widow lady! Live and learn.

Joan: If it isn’t the cavalry.

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Joan: [To Mike] Well, the next time you’re near Richmond, Indiana there’s a little drug store there. It’s practically the whole town. Well, drop in and tell them that the last time you saw me... the little girl is doing great. Just great.

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Rasumny Platov: [(The head Communist spy) To Mike] So... as long you understand that if you do make it necessary, I will violate protocol with personal satisfaction.

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[after escaping from a train and tumbling down a steep hillside, Mike and Janine come to rest next to each other]

Mike: You know something? This is the first time I really looked at you. Really looked at you, just as a girl.

Janine: [movie's last line] And so it is.

Okay, the last line doesn't exactly makes sense. But it doesn't matter, they are together.

If interested, the movie will be shown again on the Fox Movie Channel (FXM) cable channel this Thursday, May 1.