Operation Mincemeat: Netflix’s Absurd, Extraordinary, and True WWII Drama

Schindler’s List. Imitation Game. The Darkest Hour. Hacksaw Ridge. Zookeeper’s Wife. Valkyrie. The Monuments Men. Add Operation Mincemeat to the long list of relatively unknown and unbelievably true stories from World War II. The 2022 film, directed by John Madden (Shakespeare in Love), based on the novel of the same name by Ben Macintyre, is the improbable tale of how the Allies tricked Hitler and protected their forces while invading Sicily. Colin Firth (Kingsman), Matthew Macfadyen (Pride & Prejudice), and Kelly Macdonald (Boardwalk Empire) star in this depiction of the ultimate disinformation campaign.

It’s 1943 and the Allies are planning an invasion of Sicily to gain access to the Mediterranean Sea and central Europe. This “soft underbelly” of Europe is the perfect location for the attack. Too perfect. It’s believed that the Germans are planning for just this scenario and could slaughter the Allied forces upon arrival. Even Churchill reportedly said, “Everyone but a damn fool would know it’s Sicily.” How to make the Germans believe that the Allies are going to invade Greece instead, move their forces accordingly, and allow the invasion of Sicily to proceed?

They need a secret agent. The military brain trust, including Ian Fleming, suggests a dead body carrying false military secrets that finds its way into enemy hands. The elaborate scheme is so outlandish: find the right body, give him a detailed backstory, dress it in military uniform, make it appear the victim of a plane crash, dump it off the coast of Spain, hope it washes ashore, pray that the documents remain undamaged, and that they get into the hands of German intelligence. And will Hitler even believe it, or will he discover the ruse, and stay focused on Sicily? If any one of these steps go awry, the whole plan unravels with deadly consequences.

An unexpected pleasure of Operation Mincemeat is the Ian Fleming character. Johnny Flynn (Stardust) plays Fleming and narrates the film. Fleming was instrumental in suggesting the operation; #28 of the Trout Memo list, a treatise on how to deceive the enemy during wartime. The film doesn’t focus on his role, but when he is shown thinking or writing you can feel the origins of James Bond. There are a couple of nods towards the future Agent 007. Fleming refers to a colleague as “M” and the British military’s Supply Ministry is called “Q.”

On the surface this could be just another stiff British spy drama. But the story is so crazy, the acting so polished, and the attention to detail so riveting that you can’t help going along for the ride. While the film may take some liberties with the love triangle, the restrained romantic feelings among the three lead characters are rooted in truth. The film takes advantage of the premise and interjects some Weekend at Bernie’s-like dry humor into the situation, particularly the photo shoot of the dead body for his new ID card. Suspense builds as the mission unfolds and finally culminates as the team huddles around the telegraph receiving its fate.

D² Rating ◼◼◼☐ ☐

Trivia: Colin Firth won the Best Actor Academy Award for this 2010 film?

Answer: The King’s Speech


Comments

2 responses to “Operation Mincemeat: Netflix’s Absurd, Extraordinary, and True WWII Drama”

  1. Gregg Smith Avatar
    Gregg Smith

    Fantastic movie, brilliant acting. Suspense, Spies Heartbreak, and deception, the details of which this movie covered were fantastic, I loved it and a true story!

    1. Thanks, Gregg! Agreed.