The Impossible Spy (1987)

Based on the true story of Elie Cohen, Israel's national hero, whose daring mission took him from Argentina to Damascus where he successfully entered the upper echelons of the Syrian government. The secrets he obtained became crucial in Israel's victory in the 1967 Six-Day War. A portrait of spies and spying that is as chilling as it is compelling, and as riveting as any James Bond adventure. The legendary Elie Cohen was persuaded to become a secret agent and ended up leading a double life -- as a mild-mannered husband and father in Israel, and as a wealthy businessman who infiltrated the highest levels of the Syrian government. Incredibly, Cohen was so successful that he was nominated to be the Defense Minister of Syria.

The story begins in 1959. Cohen was a family man leading a quiet, normal life working as an accountant in Tel Aviv when he is recruited by Israel's Mossad secret service and assigned a mission that would forever change his life, and the history of Israel.

2005 was the 40th anniversary year of Elie Cohen's death (May 18, 1965)

June 5-11, 2007 will be the 40th Anniversary of The Six-Day War--for which Elie Cohen's mission was substantially responsible for the quick victory.

- Awards -

The Impossible Spy won the ACE Award for Best Original Score. The same year, the film received four ACE Award Nominations for Outstanding Programming Achievement:
1. Best Dramatic or Theatrical Special ("The Impossible Spy")
2. Best Directing of a Dramatic or Theatrical Special (Jim Goddard)
3. Best Writing of a Dramatic Special (Marty Ross and Douglas Livingstone)
4. Best Original Score (Richard Hartley)

The Impossible Spy

The Impossible Spy:
--------------------
As a grandson of the cousin of Eli Cohen RIP i was very excited to see this film.

Most recommended!

September 29, 2008

As Relevant Today as When It was Filmed

This film, made on location in Israel, presents a seemingly impossible story that is all too true. Well worth owning and recommending to friends. December 28, 2007

A Good Spy Yarn

This is a true story that I had heard about a few years ago. The movie seems authenic from what I had heard. The movie holds your interest, but some of the acting is nothing special. The locale helps to give the story creditability. It was worth watching, but of average quality. November 2, 2007

A true story of one of the best human intelligence agents

This is a video enactment of the true story of the famous Israeli spy, Elie Cohen, who was reluctantly recruited by the Mossad to infiltrate the Syrian High Command. He successfully did so by befriending and subsidizing (with Israeli government money) the the then outlawed Baath Party of Syria. He made his first contact with a Baath Party representative in Argentina. When the Baath Party eventually came to power in Syria, Elie Cohen followed. Being Syrian born, and raised in Egypt, this devout Jew, fluent in Arabic and at least four other languages, rose from a job as a lowly accountant at a grocery chain, to nearly become the deputy minister of defense in Syria. Before being discovered, probably because of his false overconfidence in transmitting Morse code messages to Tel Aviv, he became, and still is, one of the most celebrated human intelligence figures in world history. The information he provided was instrumental in the astonishing victory by Israel in the Six Day War.
Highly recommended for those interested in middle east politics and espionage. April 23, 2007

Amazing TRUE story

They say truth is stranger than fiction...and the saying holds for this amazing story about an Israeli secret agent who penetrated the top levels of the Syrian government.

As the U.S. government debates the value of human intelligence vs. whatever they collect from calls, email, etc., this story demonstrates what one well-placed spy can do. Check it out. April 25, 2006

More reviews at Amazon.com ...