Funeral in Berlin (1966)

Funeral in Berlin (1966), a British spy film directed by Guy Hamilton, is based on the novel of the same name by Len Deighton. It follows British secret agent Harry Palmer, who is sent to Berlin by his superior Colonel Ross to facilitate the defection of Colonel Stok, a prominent Soviet intelligence officer. To aid him in his mission, Palmer reconnects with an old friend and former criminal associate Johnny Vulkan, who now works for British intelligence in Berlin. Despite his initial skepticism, Palmer finds Stok to be eccentric and likeable when they meet in the Soviet sector of the city. Stok requests that Otto Kreutzmann, a West German criminal known for organizing escapes, handle his defection. After returning to the western sector of the city, Palmer meets model Samantha Steel and spends the night with her.

However, he becomes suspicious of her behavior and has his police contacts investigate her identity. He then arranges for a burglary at her apartment which uncovers several fake passports. Meanwhile, Palmer strikes a deal with Kreutzmann to bring Stok over the wall in exchange for £20,000 and a set of legitimate documents that meet specific requirements. After concluding the arrangement, Palmer heads back to London to make his report. Ross is completely convinced of Stok’s defection and dismisses any suspicions Palmer has about Samantha Steel being a spy. With full authorization from Ross, Palmer prepares to return to Berlin to finalize the deal. A man named Hallam at Intelligence headquarters supplies the necessary funds and documents under the name Paul Louis Broum. The plan devised by Kreutzmann involves staging a funeral to smuggle the Colonel across the border in a coffin.