The Secret People

 

Most of what you need to know about Dickinson’s spy story can be found in the title: despite the pulpy connotations, it’s actually an existential metaphor. This was Dickinson’s attempt to blend a political thriller with a pacifist morality play. It bombed on general release, was lambasted for attempting to intellectualise genre and became a dartboard for the left. What these things prove is that Dickinson was a filmmaker ahead of the curve, and that, whenever a film explores a moral message without recourse to propaganda, it’s always misunderstood. The story involves exiled Maria’s (Cortese) coercion into a plot to assassinate the dictator (inspired by Franco) who killed her father. Heavily cut by Ealing Studios, the film suffers from awkward pacing and flat characterisations, but it kicks into gear in the second half, with some wonderfully staged set pieces and a powerful climax. It’s also the only film to feature both Audrey Hepburn and (oh yes) Bob Monkhouse.