Man in the Middle (film)

Man in the Middle is a 1963 film, starring Robert Mitchum and directed by Guy Hamilton. The movie, set in World War II India, tells the story of the murder trial of an American Army officer who killed a British soldier. Mitchum plays Lieut. Col. Barney Adams, who has been assigned as the accused man's defense counsel. The film is also known as The Winston Affair, the title of the novel the film was based on that was written by Howard Fast.

Plot

Robert Mitchum plays a career military attorney brought in to defend an Army officer (played by Keenan Wynn) for murdering a British soldier in India. The commander informs Mitchum that the Army would like the case to quietly go away and to put up as little defense as possible so that the court can move for a quick conviction. While investigating the crime Mitchum discovers that Wynn's character is completely insane. Along with the US Army, the British are also anxious to see Wynn's character hang and have no real interest in seeing justice done. So, as the title suggests, Mitchum finds himself in the middle of two military units and must decide if he should just let the case be whitewashed so that the army can save face and the officer can save his reputation or put up a real and compassionate defense.

Cast

• Robert Mitchum as Lieutenant Colonel Barney Adams
• France Nuyen as Kate Davray
• Barry Sullivan as General Kempton
• Trevor Howard as Major Kensington
• Keenan Wynn as Lieutenant Winston
• Sam Wanamaker as Major Kaufman
• Alexander Knox as Colonel Burton
• Gary Cockrell as Lieutenant Morse
• Robert Nichols as Lieutenant Bender
• Michael Goodliffe as Colonel Shaw
• Errol John as Sergeant Jackson
• Paul Maxwell as Major Smith
• Lionel Murton as Captain Gunther
• Russell Napier as Colonel Thompson
• Jared Allen as Captain Dwyer
• David Bauer as Colonel Mayburt
• Edward Underdown as Major Wyclif
• Howard Marion-Crawford as Major Poole

External links

• Man in the Middle at the Internet Movie Database
• New York Times review by Bosley Crowther, March 5, 1964