The Tenth Man (TV)

(1988)

Directed by Jack Gold
Written by Lee Langley, from a novel by Graham Greene
Starring Anthony Hopkins, Kristin Scott Thomas, Derek Jacobi, Timothy Watson
IMDB Entry

Graham Greene had a long and successful career that straddled the genres of thriller and literary novels. The Tenth Man, one of his later novels, was made into a first-class TV movie.

Jean Louis Chavel (Anthony Hopkins) is a comfortable Paris lawyer during the Nazi occupation when he is rounded up by the Nazis to be used as a hostage. When the Resistance kills a German official, the thirty men are given the ultimatum: pick three of them to be killed in retaliation.

Chavel is chosen. Desperate, he offers all his wealth and property to anyone who wishes to switch places. No one is interested until Michel Mangeot (Timothy Watson), who is dying of tuberculosis, volunteers, giving it all to his sister Therese (Kristin Scott Thomas) and mother. At the last minute Chavel tries to change his mind, but Mangeot goes to the firing squad.

Three years later, the war over, Chavel is freed and travels to his house to meet Therese. She hates Chavel, so he gives her a false name and tells her he was in the prison with Chavel and her brother. He offers to help around the house, and ends up as a servant. A relationship develops, which is shattered when and imposter (Derek Jacobi) shows up, claiming to be Chavel.

It is not a surprise that Anthony Hopkins gives a fine performance.  His Chavel is a man haunted by his decision and is brought a bit more toward normalcy by his interactions with Therese, who is played strongly by Kristin Scott Thomas.

Most impressive is Derek Jacobi. The mannerisms that make him a good guy are especially effective in playing the devious imposter. He got a supporting actor Emmy for the role* and it was well deserved.

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*He doesn’t appear until the final third.