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The Devil's Agent

The Devil's Agent

Assignment - International Triple Cross!

196277 minMidcredits score: 37th percentile of all films
Director
John Paddy Carstairs
Starring
Peter van Eyck, Marianne Koch, Macdonald Carey, Christopher Lee

Droste, a mild-mannered businessman, was an intelligence expert during World War II. When Droste runs into his old friend Baron Von Straub, the two rekindle a friendship that was interrupted by the war. However, when Von Straub asks Droste to deliver a small package to a friend in West Germany, the befuddled Droste is set up for a series of complicated spy games.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Devil's Agent?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove does not list The Devil's Agent on any major US streaming service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Devil's Agent?

The Devil's Agent earns 2 badges, led by Unsettling and Slow burn.

Reception

Is The Devil's Agent worth watching?

The Devil's Agent's Midcredits score is the 37th percentile of all films, from 155 ratings across 3 sources. 36% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

37th percentile

Better received than 37% of films

34th percentile among Drama34th percentile among 1960s
Acclaim (how much people like it)43rd
Approval (how many liked it)32nd

60 /100

43rd percentile of all films

41st percentile among Drama38th percentile among 1960s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.0 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

36% liked it

32nd percentile of all films

27th percentile among Drama31st percentile among 1960s
36% rated it 7–1064% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

29th percentile

155 ratings across platforms

30th percentile among Drama26th percentile among 1960s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 43% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A low-budget, talky Cold War spy thriller with a convoluted plot and a strong cast of character actors.

Fans praised

  • dark, gritty pre-Bond espionage tone
  • strong ensemble cast including Christopher Lee and Billie Whitelaw
  • complex lead performance by Peter Van Eyck as a double agent

Detractors panned

  • slow, ponderous pacing with little action
  • convoluted plot that is hard to follow and predictable
  • leads lack chemistry and emotional warmth

What stands out

ActingDivisive65

mixed reviews; Lee and Whitelaw praised but Van Eyck called shallow by some

Atmosphere65

seedy middle-European ambiance on limited budget

Characters50

complex lead but other roles underdeveloped

Tension45

reasonably suspenseful but never thrilling

Plot and story40

convoluted, predictable, short on action

Originality40

formulaic Cold War espionage with few surprises

PacingDivisive30

slow, loses momentum after midpoint

Watch experience

What is The Devil's Agent like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark and unsettling: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something dark that stays with you.

It takes its time and leaves you unsettled. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Dark and unsettling.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseDreadMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Episodic · 13% of films: Loosely connected incidents rather than one driving plot.Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film holds its espionage material with grim seriousness, never winking at the genre, presenting the protagonist's entrapment with brooding tension.
The rideThe film sustains a mood of quiet tension and encroaching dread, with the heaviest emotional weight landing in the final act as the protagonist's entrapment becomes inescapable.
StructureThe story unfolds as a series of loosely connected missions and encounters that gradually trap the protagonist deeper.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Unsettled.

The answer rests on this: UnsettlingThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the viewer with a lingering unease about the inescapable nature of the spy world and a sobering reflection on personal freedom.
How it ends · evidence
Tragic ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3% (this title)
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Crushed by fate: Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.

9% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeAn ordinary wine merchant is coerced into being a double agent for both Western and Soviet intelligence; despite wanting out, he is crushed by forces beyond his control.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7% (this title): Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% (this title) · Freedom 5% (this title)
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Power

Oppression · 4% of filmsFreedom · 5% of filmsSurvival
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores how the intelligence apparatus on both sides ensnares an ordinary man and refuses to let him go, stripping him of his freedom and threatening his survival.
StanceThe film takes a warning stance toward the intelligence apparatus that consumes the protagonist, showing how once you're in, you cannot escape.

The world

Mid 20th centuryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Philip Green
SettingDivided post-war Vienna and Cold War Europe
MusicA traditional orchestral score of the period.

Content guide

Is The Devil's Agent okay for kids?

As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100). It has too few votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 1 other country
  • Germany16
Overall
needs 3 or more scored categories
not ranked
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

Overall standing needs at least three scored categories; this title has 1.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Devil's Agent have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Devil's Agent?

Cast

Peter van Eyck
as Georg Droste
Marianne Koch
as Nora Gulden
Macdonald Carey
as Mr. Smith
Christopher Lee
as Baron Ferdi von Staub
Billie Whitelaw
as Piroska Maslov
Albert Lieven
as Inspector Paul Huebling
David Knight
as Father Zombary
Marius Goring
as Gen. Greenhahn
Helen Cherry
as Countess Carla Cosimano
Colin Gordon
as Count Dezsepalvy

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Devil's Agent?

Movies like The Devil's Agent include Dying of the Light (2014), Wasp Network (2019) and Hamilton: In the Interest of the Nation (2012). Of the 9 closest matches, several are hero-versus-nemesis stories, and most are films that feel brooding.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

All 9 share its world: espionage. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Devil's Agent?

832 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: spy. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.