Alexander Klein wrote a 1958 book about Erickson's World War II exploits, The Counterfeit Traitor, which was made into 1962 this movie of the same name .True life espionage story about a businessman (an effective William Holden ) who lives a mission as double agent for the Allies during WWII. It begins in Stockholm 1942 . He made scores of trips to Germany between 1941 and 1944 , the hazards were great. He gathered priceless information on Germany's oil refineries, which he turned over to his Allied contacts . Gestapo agents tracked him on his visits to Germany. Though Erickson knew that he was under constant surveillance, he went about his oil business as well as the business of spying. One of his closest confederates was a woman (a haunting Lilli Palmer). Gestapo agents suddenly rushed in and arrested them both. Both were confined at Gestapo headquarters .
This is a suspense thriller full of tension , agonisingly intriguing and entertainment. Frequently riveting but overlong , it results to be a magnificent film. There are tremendous acting from the main protagonists as Holden and Palmer . Furthermore , splendid support cast from Germany as Klaus Kinski , Wolfgang Preiss, Werner Peters ,Schuman ; from Denmark as Reichhardt and from Sweden as Palme. Sensible and stirring musical score by the classic Alfred Newman . Colorful cinematography by the French Jean Bourgoin .The producers wish to express their gratitude to the city government of Stockholm , Copenhagen , Hamburg and West Berlin whose cooperation made it possible to photograph the authentic locales in the re-creation of this true story. The motion picture is stunningly directed by George Seaton. Professional and polish writer and director who occasionally rose well above his average standard and was twice rewarded with Academy Award for so making . Seaton formed a partnership with William Perlberg , was to produce all Seaton's movies for several years. Both of them produced and directed the following successes as ¨Miracle on 34th Street¨, ¨The country girl¨, a monster Box office as ¨Airport¨ , another unusual War film as ¨36 hours¨ and of course ¨Counterfeit traitor¨.
Based on true events , Erickson spied on German synthetic oil plants for the American OSS in World War II. At the outbreak of World War II, Erickson offered his services to the United States. Pretending that he was a Nazi, Erickson visited Germany more than 30 times between 1939 and 1945.Working with a few German industrialists and businessmen who were part of the conspiracy. He and his women accomplice were arrested. The woman, however, had been under suspicion as being a spy. The Germans concluded that Erickson was simply a businessman seeking sexual gratification but the woman was a spy. The Allies stepped up their bombing of Germany and Nazi-occupied countries in 1943, but had difficulty in locating the oil refineries that kept Hitler's war machine moving. Erickson was told by his OSS spymasters that he had to locate the key refineries. Erickson and his wealthy German business friends, he said, planned to build a huge oil refinery in neutral Sweden, safe from Allied bombers. This plant, when running at peak capacity, could deliver all the oil Germany might need. If he went ahead with his plans, he explained, he would want an exclusive contract with the Germans. Erickson then pointed out that he had few friends in Sweden because of his long association and loyalty to Nazi Germany. He also pointed out to the Gestapo chief that his name was on the Allied blacklist, a fact that Himmler already knew and one that endeared Erickson to his cold heart. As they talked, Himmler came quickly to believe that Erickson was an opportunist who had thrown in his lot with the Germans after they had scored lightning success through blitzkrieg invasions. He was also impressed in the detailed blueprints for the proposed Swedish oil refinery that Erickson had taken pains to prepare and submit for examination. Erickson then explained that, before he and his partners put up their millions to build the plant, he would have to inspect present oil refineries and receive from experts and technicians in the field, all important information on operations in order to better build a highly productive refinery. Himmler authorized Erickson to travel anywhere in the Reich or occupied territories, to investigate any oil refinery operation he wanted to see, and to get from experts any information he desired in preparation of building the proposed refinery in Sweden. He was also given an order signed by Hitler that provided automobiles for Erickson . Erickson was shocked to run into a man he thought long dead, a German oil executive he had formerly known . He told the Nazi that it was simply good business to have joined the Germans, and that he was a businessman first and always. He told the man that he had been on the Allied blacklist for years after establishing friendships with German Nazis. He then played his trump card, showing him his newly-signed Gestapo papers, which bore the name of Heinrich Himmler .This seemed to convince the Nazi that Erickson, was, indeed, to be trusted.In the months to follow, the intrepid spy toured almost every major oil refinery in Germany and the occupied countries. He obtained detailed plans of oil operations and these quickly wound up in the hands of the OSS, MI6, and, subsequently, the Allied air forces, which then bombed the refineries out of existence. Lack of oil caused the surrender of more than 300,000 German troops in the Ruhr Valley, the last real threat in the West against the Allies. Following the war, General Dwight D. Eisenhower attributed the Allied victory to the destruction of the German oil industry and almost all of the credit for that destruction was due to one man, Eric Erickson.
