1 / 8
ERA
Did you know
58 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
The Secret War of Harry Frigg
"It's not who you con. It's how you do it."
1968 1h 50m EN
😐
6.2
MID
★6.2TMDB · 43
ComedyWar
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
When 5 allied generals are captured in Italy in WWII, it is a propaganda nightmare for the allies. The generals are all 1 star and refuse to take orders from each other in order to plan an escape. Harry Frigg is a private who has escaped from the guard house dozens of times. He is promoted to Major General and ordered to get the generals out once he is captured. Harry is willing to escape, but then he meets the countess...
“It's not who you con. It's how you do it.”
Cast
Paul Newman
Pvt. Harry Frigg
Sylva Koscina
Countess Francesca De Montefiore
Andrew Duggan
Gen. Newton Armstrong
Tom Bosley
Gen. Roscoe Pennypacker
John Williams
Gen. Francis Mayhew
Charles Gray
Gen. Adrian Cox-Roberts
Vito Scotti
Col. Enrico Ferrucci
Jacques Roux
Gen. Andre Rochambeau
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Jack Smight
- Writers
- Frank Tarloff, Peter Stone
- Languages
- English
- Countries
- United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
CRAFT
Did you know
Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Carlo Rustichelli. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor J. Terry Williams shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Paul Newman and Sylva Koscina and Andrew Duggan carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "It's not who you con. It's how you do it.".
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
WILD
Did you know
IMDB entry: tt0063573 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
WILD
Did you know
Only 43 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Jack Smight directs. Carlo Rustichelli scores. J. Terry Williams cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 158 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
- 2Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
- 3Original score by Carlo Rustichelli. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 4Editor J. Terry Williams shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 5Paul Newman and Sylva Koscina and Andrew Duggan carry the top of the cast.
- 6Marketing tagline: "It's not who you con. It's how you do it.".
- 7IMDB entry: tt0063573 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 8Only 43 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
The technical file
- Original score
- Carlo Rustichelli
- Editing
- J. Terry Williams
- Runtime
- 110 min · 1h 50m
- Status
- Released
- Original language
- EN
Also by
Jack Smight
Production companies
Who made it
Universal Pictures
US
Key crew
- Camera OperatorRussell Metty
- EditorJ. Terry Williams
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- villa
- italy
- world war ii
- prisoner of war
- countess
Release history · US
When it landed
- Theatrical1968-02-29
Also known as
International titles
- La guerra segreta di Harry FriggIT
