Operation Mincemeat review: Colin Firth brings to life an unbelievable WWII story

3.5/5

Story: At the height of the Second World War, two British Intelligence officers Ewen Montagu and Charles Cholmondeley cook up an elaborate strategy to misdirect the Nazis from Sicily, the Italian island that the Allied forces plan to invade by July 1943. In order to deceive Hitler and make him believe that the Allies will invade Greece and not the obvious target Sicily, Montagu and Cholmondeley plant critical but fake documents on the body of a dead man and float it off in Spanish waters, hoping the papers would reach the Nazi high command. Will the two outwit the Führer?

Review: Operation Mincemeat takes its title from a real but rather absurd deception strategy that was carried out by the Allied forces during World War II in order to make their way north of Europe. The film helmed by John Madden, who is best known for directing the Oscar-winning film Shakespeare in Love, is not a conventional war film with extended combat scenes, explosions, and gunfire on the frontline. Instead, the focus here is on what went behind the scenes to execute the “most spectacular single episode in the history of deception”. Although the film is engaging and gripping in most parts, at times, the narrative puts more emphasis on the subplots rather than the mission itself.

The film opens with a narration that starts off as, “In any story, if it's a good story, there is that what is seen and that which is hidden. This is especially true in stories of war.” This statement sets the mood of the film that while exploring the story behind the mission also captures the personal lives and tragedies of the people involved in it.

The plot revolves around Lieutenant Commander Ewen Montagu (Colin Firth) and MI5 agent Charles Cholmondeley (Matthew Macfadyen) who join hands to execute a deception plan that involves finding a corpse, giving it a name and a detailed backstory, and dumping it in the ocean. They are joined by Montagu’s secretary Hester Leggett (Penelope Wilton) and MI5 clerk Jean Leslie (Kelly Macdonald). Montagu and Cholmondeley secure the corpse of a drifter named Glyndwr Michael, who died from consuming rat poison. However, the hard task is to develop a believable and air-tight story and make “a real fake man out of a real dead man”, leaving no scope for suspicion. The best scene of the film is when the four of them come together to create a fake identity named Major William Martin, a Royal Marine who possesses documents on the Allies’ plans. While coming up with the backstory, Montagu, Cholmondeley, Leslie, and Leggett include their own desires, dreams, and failures into Major William’s character. This gives an insight into the lives and personalities of these four individuals without explicitly stating it, thereby adding more depth to the characters. This also depicts the harsh realities of war — how war can break families, separate lovers, and make an individual extremely lonely.

Another important character in the film is Ian Fleming, played remarkably well by actor-singer Johnny Flynn who also doubles up as the narrator of the film. Fleming who was part of the mission later went on to author the globally hit James Bond series. In the film, he is depicted as an Intelligence officer who aspires to become a spy novelist. In fact, eagle-eyed viewers will also spot a few references to James Bond in the film. For instance, Fleming addresses his superior officer Admiral John Godfrey (Jason Isaacs) as M.

Operation Mincemeat loses steam when Michelle Ashford’s screenplay gives too much emphasis on the subplots. The love triangle between Montagu, Cholmondeley, and Leslie or the suspicion that Montagu's brother is a Russian spy have no bearing on the core narrative of the film. They do help in adding drama and tension to the plot but find no relevance in the third act.

Colin Firth is just perfect for the role of Montagu. He adds more charm and class to the character who is torn between his love for his family and his sense of duty for his country. But it is Matthew Macfadyen who steals the show as Cholmondeley. It’s very evident that he has feelings for Leslie, although he never brings it up with her. Interestingly, both Firth and Macfaydyen have essayed the role of Mr Darcy in two different adaptations of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice. Kelly Macdonald delivers an impressive performance as Leslie, a widow who finds herself falling for Montagu.

Verdict: Operation Mincemeat is a compelling war film that had the potential of being a great film, but gets bogged down by too many subplots. Despite its shortcomings, it is a thrilling watch that will make you hooked to the screen till the end. You should definitely give it a watch if you love films such as Argo and Imitation Game.