| Photos (see all 6 | slideshow) |
| Paul Newman | ... | Rearden | |
| Dominique Sanda | ... | Mrs. Smith | |
| James Mason | ... | Sir George Wheeler | |
| Harry Andrews | ... | Mackintosh | |
| Ian Bannen | ... | Slade | |
| Michael Hordern | ... | Brown | |
| Nigel Patrick | ... | Soames-Trevelyan | |
| Peter Vaughan | ... | Brunskill | |
| Roland Culver | ... | Judge | |
| Percy Herbert | ... | Taafe | |
| Robert Lang | ... | Jack Summers | |
| Jenny Runacre | ... | Gerda | |
| John Bindon | ... | Buster | |
| Hugh Manning | ... | Prosecutor | |
| Wolfe Morris | ... | Malta Police Commissioner | |
| Noel Purcell | ... | O'Donovan | |
| Donald Webster | ... | Jervis | |
| Keith Bell | ... | Palmer | |
| Niall MacGinnis | ... | Warder | |
| Eddie Byrne | ... | Fisherman | |
| Shane Briant | ... | Cox | |
| Michael Poole | ... | Mr. Boyd | |
| Eric Mason | ... | Postman | |
| Ronald Clarke | ... | Attendant | |
| Antony Viccars | ... | Salesman | |
| Dinny Powell | ... | Young | |
| Doug Robinson | ... | Danahoe (as Douglas Robinson) | |
| Jack Cooper | ... | 1st Motor Cyclist | |
| Marc Boyle | ... | 2nd Motor Cyclist | |
| Marcelle Castillo | ... | Madeleine | |
| Nosher Powell | ... | Armed Guard | |
| Terence Plummer | ... | Dark Man (as Terry Plummer) | |
| Joe Cahill | ... | 1st Guard | |
| Gerry Alexander | ... | 2nd Guard | |
| John McDarby | ... | Old Man at Bus Stop | |
| Donal McCann | ... | 1st Fireman | |
| Joe Lynch | ... | 1st Garda | |
| Seamus Healy | ... | Countryman in Pub | |
| Tom Irwin | ... | 2nd Fireman | |
| Pascal Perry | ... | 2nd Garda | |
| Steve Brennan | ... | Pub Customer | |
| Vernon Hayden | ... | Pub Customer | |
| Brendan O'Duill | ... | Pub Customer (as Brendon O'Duill) | |
| rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Harry Fielder | ... | Convict in prison (uncredited) | |
| Leo Genn | ... | Rollins [defence lawyer] (uncredited) | |
| Clarissa Kaye-Mason | ... | Guest at reception (uncredited) | |
Directed by | |||
| John Huston | |||
Writing credits | ||
| Walter Hill | (screenplay) | |
| Desmond Bagley | (novel "The Freedom Trap") | |
| William Fairchild | uncredited | |
Produced by | |||
| John Foreman | .... | producer | |
| William Hill | .... | associate producer | |
Original Music by | |||
| Maurice Jarre | |||
Cinematography by | |||
| Oswald Morris | (director of photography) | ||
Film Editing by | |||
| Russell Lloyd | |||
Casting by | |||
| Weston Drury Jr. | (as Weston Drury Jnr.) | ||
Production Design by | |||
| Terence Marsh | (as Terry Marsh) | ||
Art Direction by | |||
| Alan Tomkins | |||
Makeup Department | |||
| George Frost | .... | makeup artist | |
| Hugh Richards | .... | makeup artist | |
| A.G. Scott | .... | hair stylist | |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director | |||
| M. James Arnett | .... | second unit director (as James Arnett) | |
| Colin M. Brewer | .... | assistant director (as Colin Brewer) | |
| Chris Kenny | .... | second assistant director (uncredited) | |
Art Department | |||
| Peter James | .... | set dresser | |
| Michael Redding | .... | construction manager | |
Sound Department | |||
| Basil Fenton-Smith | .... | sound | |
| Leslie Hodgson | .... | sound editor (as Les Hodgson) | |
| Gerry Humphreys | .... | sound | |
| Don Sharpe | .... | sound editor (as Don Sharp) | |
| Peter Desbois | .... | sound (uncredited) | |
| Terry Sharratt | .... | boom operator (uncredited) | |
Special Effects by | |||
| Ron Ballinger | .... | special effects | |
| Cliff Richardson | .... | special effects | |
Stunts | |||
| Joe Powell | .... | stunts (uncredited) | |
| Nosher Powell | .... | stunts (uncredited) | |
Camera and Electrical Department | |||
| Jimmy Turrell | .... | camera operator | |
Costume and Wardrobe Department | |||
| Elsa Fennell | .... | wardrobe supervisor | |
Editorial Department | |||
| Eunice Beharrell | .... | assistant editor | |
Music Department | |||
| Maurice Jarre | .... | conductor | |
Other crew | |||
| Barbara Allen | .... | production secretary | |
| Terence A. Clegg | .... | location manager (as Terry Clegg) | |
| Penny Daniels | .... | continuity | |
| Robin Douet | .... | location manager | |
| Gladys Hill | .... | assistant: Mr. Huston | |
| Arthur S. Newman Jr. | .... | assistant to producer (as Arthur S. Newman Jnr.) | |
| Geoff Freeman | .... | unit publicist (uncredited) | |
| Annabelle King | .... | production assistant (uncredited) | |
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| On Her Majesty's Secret Service | The Spider Returns | Topaz | GoldenEye | Thunderball |
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| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| IMDb Thriller section | IMDb UK section | Add this title to MyMovies |
This was one of the first films to feature music played almost all the way through, and that changes the experience of this movie. The viewer is taken for a rolling, continuous ride through an imprisonment and escape, the planning of the exercise, and the due consideration each man must make of another he is bringing into his confidences. The music lulls a part of the viewer's psyche to sleep. It is an odd pairing of music and scenes of harsh realities and cruelties. As this soundtrack rolls on, the film lays out beautiful locations in London, the Irish countryside, and Malta. The audience is taken to back alleys and out-of-the-way places, places where the locals know about but not tourists. The spy game is conducted with some discretion.
It contains a few elements common to movies, but somehow they seem both fresh and not overplayed. Paul Newman's character is left to fend for himself, and at one point to try to convince the authorities of the veracity of his accusations, and of his own righteousness. When this fails, he has only one option, and he takes it when he has an opportunity.
Two of the masters of 20th century film came together to create an underemphasized but satisfying thriller that requires both attention and a consideration of morality to be fully enjoyed. It's interesting to note that almost all of Paul Newman's roles contain a certain Newman morality (probably similar to the actor's own) concerning the imperfection of the world, the existence of bad people in it, and the somewhat acceptance, somewhat rejection of this world's conventions by Newman's characters.