The Scarlet Coat (1955)

 

In real life, John Bolton was a code name for Benjamin Tallmadge, an espionage agent for the Continental Army who ran the Culper Ring, a spy network that operated out of New York City. Tallmadge briefly met British officer John Andre when Andre was a prisoner waiting to be hanged as a spy.

In the 1955 movie The Scarlet Coat, directed by John Sturges, Bolton is the real name of a ruthless spy working for the Americans. He's not a bad guy, but he doesn't blink at--for instance--back-shooting a courier to get the message being carried. 

Bolton is played by Cornel Wilde, who brings an admirable subtlety to the role. We can instantly see that Bolton is a man doing his duty, not a psycho, and who must forceable turn off his emotions to get his job done. 

While staying at a tavern, he discovers a Continental officer also staying there is really a British spy. In the ensuing struggle, the Englishman is killed. Bolton is briefly arrested for murder, which serendipitously sets him up for a dangerous mission. He can "escape" and defect to the British who currently occupy New York City. His specific goal is to discover the identity of a spy known only as Gustavos.

He meets John Andre and fools him. The two soon become friends. A Tory doctor (George Sanders) is perpetually suspicious of Bolton, but the American spy manages to tread a thin line. He sets up some British troops to march into an ambush, but in such a way that it looks like he was warning the British against the manuever.

There's also the beautiful Sally Cameron (Anne Francis) to consider--she seems to side with the British, but Bolton has reason to think she might sympathize with the rebels. 

Eventually, Bolton is able to uncover that Gustavos is Benedict Arnold. Normally, I try to avoid spoilers, but we all know that Arnold gets away and Andre is caught and executed as a spy.

Bolton never risked his cover or his mission, but he sincerely liked Andre and had done what he could to protect him. For instance, when Andre is about to secretly meet with Arnold, Bolton tells him to wear his uniform. Circumstances, though, force Andre to change into civilian clothes before he's caught--so now he's a spy rather than a soldier. After his capture, Bolton unsuccessfully tries to arrange an exchange with the British--but Andre's honor won't allow him to agree to this.

The movie looks great in terms of costumes and cinematography. It tells a superb story, mixing some fun action scenes in with the character drama. Wilde and Michael Wilding as Andre play well off each other and we really believe this is a case in which enemies can become friends.

There is an attempt to squeeze in a love story between Bolton and Sally Cameron that doesn't quite work--it's obviously there because its expected rather than being organic to the story. Sally does play an important part in the plot and Anne Francis is the perfect actress to bring her to life. But the movie would have been served better if Bolton and Sally had simply been two professional spies who needed to work together without shoving in the contrived romance.

But this is a minor glitch in a great movie. Though the movie is highly fictionalized, it does hit the mark historically in showing the courage and dignity that John Andre showed when he went to his death in real life.