Morituri

film by Wicki [1965]

Also known as: “The Saboteur: Code Name Morituri”

Written by

Lee Pfeiffer

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

History

Morituri, American spy film, released in 1965, that was notable for being a critical and box-office disappointment despite a cast that included Marlon Brando and Yul Brynner.

Robert Crain (played by Brando) is a German deserter living in India during World War II. He is blackmailed by British intelligence agent Colonel Statter (Trevor Howard) to pose as a Gestapo agent in order to gain passage on a German blockade runner that is transporting a precious cargo of rubber to Nazi-occupied France. The British are desperately in need of the rubber supply and assign Crain the mission of discovering the location of the ship’s scuttling charges so the cargo can be commandeered by an Allied warship. Crain is immediately at odds with the ship’s captain, Mueller (Brynner), who does not support the Nazi cause and despises Crain for his Gestapo affiliation. Mueller restricts Crain’s movements around the ship, making it difficult for him to discover the location of the scuttling charges. Crain ultimately must rely on a sympathetic crew member to assist him, along with a Jewish female prisoner (Janet Margolin) on the ship who has been subjected to sexual abuse. When two German naval officers board the ship unexpectedly, Crain is in danger of being discovered, and he incites a violent mutiny. Mueller attempts to scuttle the vessel, and it becomes incapacitated. The crew abandons ship, leaving behind Crain and Mueller. It becomes clear that, although the ship is damaged, it is not in imminent danger of sinking. Crain plays upon Mueller’s anti-Nazi sentiments to persuade him to allow a radio call to be made to an Allied ship that will rescue them and secure the much-needed cargo for the war effort.

Although pitched as a thriller, Morituri’s sluggish box-office performance was due in part to the film’s slow pace and dialogue-heavy script. In addition, its confusing title—taken from the Latin phrase morituri te salutamus (“we who are about to die salute you”), spoken by ancient Roman gladiators prior to combat—did not enhance the film’s prospects. The studio unsuccessfully tried to boost audience interest by retitling the movie The Saboteur: Code Name Morituri.