''The File of the Golden Goose'' is a 1969 British neo noir

thriller film Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that evokes excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense element found in most films' plots is particularly exploited by the filmmaker in this genre ...

directed by

Sam Wanamaker Samuel Wanamaker, (born Wattenmacker; June 14, 1919 – December 18, 1993) was an American actor and director who moved to the United Kingdom after becoming fearful of being blacklisted in Hollywood due to his communist views. He is credited a ...

and starring

Yul Brynner Yuliy Borisovich Briner (russian: link=no, Юлий Борисович Бринер; July 11, 1920 – October 10, 1985), known professionally as Yul Brynner, was a Russian-born actor. He was best known for his portrayal of King Mongkut in th ...

, Charles Gray and

Edward Woodward Edward Albert Arthur Woodward, OBE (1 June 1930 – 16 November 2009) was an English actor and singer. After graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he began his career on stage. Throughout his career, he appeared in productions ...

. Its plot involves an American detective being sent to Britain to track down a major international criminal. It is a reworking of the 1947 American film noir ''

T-Men ''T-Men'' is a 1947 semidocumentary and police procedural style film noir about United States Treasury agents. The film was directed by Anthony Mann and shot by noted noir cameraman John Alton. The production features Dennis O'Keefe, Mary Mea ...

'', directed by Anthony Mann.

Plot summary

A trail of counterfeit hundred dollar bills has been discovered in several places around the world. When this comes to the attention of the Secret Service, they assign one of their top men, Pete Novak (Yul Brynner), to the case of finding out who is producing and distributing them. Pete realizes that this is an assignment that demands his full attention, so he immediately breaks up with his girlfriend in preparation for the journey he must take. Before Pete can even begin his search, he is ambushed by a gang of hoodlums trying to shoot him down as they drive by outside his home. He concludes that the gang must have been tipped off by someone on the inside of the service about his new assignment. He manages to kill them, but discovers afterwards that the killers have accidentally shot and killed his ex-girlfriend in the process. The killing of the girlfriend makes the whole assignment very personal for Pete. To begin the search for the counterfeit distributor, he travels across the Atlantic to London, England, to visit Scotland Yard headquarters, since they are in charge of the counterfeit investigation in Europe. There, he meets up with Superintendent Sloane (John Barrie) of the Yard, who arranges for him to be partnered by an investigator by the name of Arthur Thompson (Edward Woodward). Arthur is a very happily married jolly old copper, who manages to ignore all of Pete’s remarks about the inappropriateness of being a married man working as an agent or policeman. Pete and Arthur start infiltrating the counterfeit organization, posing as members of the Golden Goose gang - a gang that has been all but erased from the face of the earth by the police. They use their fake identities to hide their undercover infiltration from the head of the illegal operation, The Owl Harrison (Charles Gray), and are ultimately successful in stopping the counterfeit operation.

Cast

- Peter Novak * Charles Gray - Harrison *

- Arthur Thompson * John Barrie - Superintendent Sloane *

Adrienne Corri Adrienne Corri (born Adrienne Riccoboni; 13 November 1931 – 13 March 2016) was a Scottish actress. Early life She was born Adrienne Riccoboni in Glasgow in November 1931, the daughter of an English mother (Olive Smethurst) and an Italian f ...

- Angela 'Tina' Richmond *

Graham Crowden Clement Graham Crowden (30 November 1922 – 19 October 2010) was a Scottish actor. He was best known for his many appearances in television comedy dramas and films, often playing eccentric "offbeat" scientist, teacher and doctor characters. Ea ...

- Smythe *

Walter Gotell Walter Jack Gotell (15 March 1924 – 5 May 1997) was a German actor, known for his role as General Gogol, head of the KGB, in the Roger Moore-era of the James Bond film series,Tom VallancObituary: Walter Gotell ''The Independent'', 20 June 1 ...

- George Leeds * Anthony Jacobs - Firenos *

Ivor Dean Ivor Donald Dean (21 December 1917 – 10 August 1974) was a British stage, film and television actor. Biography With his lugubrious demeanour he was often cast as world-weary police officers or butlers, and indeed it is for the role of Chief I ...

- Reynolds * Debbie Searle - Arthur Thompson's Daughter * Hugh McDermott - Ray Moss *

Hilary Heath Hilary Dwyer (6 May 1945 – 30 March 2020), also known as Hilary Heath, was an English actress, businessperson, and film producer. She was best known for her acting roles in films such as '' Witchfinder General'' (1968) and ''Wuthering Heights ...

- Ann Marlowe * Ken Jones - Stroud *

Karel Štěpánek Karel Štěpánek (29 October 189925 December 1980) was a Czech actor who spent many years in Austria and generally played German roles onscreen. In 1940 he moved to Britain and spent much of the rest of his career acting there. Partial filmo ...

- Mueller * Bernard Archard - Collins * Geoffrey Reed - Martin The narrator (uncredited) was

Patrick Allen John Keith Patrick Allen (17 March 1927 – 28 July 2006) was a British actor. Life and career Allen was born in Nyasaland (now Malawi), where his father was a tobacco farmer. After his parents returned to Britain, he was evacuated to Canada ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:File of the Golden Goose, The 1969 films 1960s crime thriller films British crime thriller films 1960s English-language films Films directed by Sam Wanamaker United Artists films Films produced by Edward Small Counterfeit money in film 1960s British films