Devil’s Agent, The

The titles appear to the sound of Philip Green's soundtrack. Palais Auersperg on Auerspergstraße in Wien, Austria. The first of several locations shared with 'The Third Man'.

The face sculpture has been given a rise. PW

Archive footage is used to set the scene. Justizpalast on Schmerlingplatz, Vienna, again seen in 'The Third Man'.

A wider, ground level view of the location. PW

A panoramic view of the Austrian capital fills the screen before a caption appears . . . Vienna 1950. Manuel Gurtner adds "Indeed, because looking from the rooftop of Herrengasse high-rise, built in 1932, with 50 meters high at the time the tallest residential building in Vienna. The partially visible clock tower in the right bottom belongs to Palais Esterházy. In the distance on the left the Ringturm high-rise is visible, with 23 floors and a 20-meter-high weather light antenna. Built from 1953 to 1955 and at the time the second tallest building, at 73 meters (without antenna), after St. Stephan's Cathedral. To the right of the middle in the distance the spire of the Catholic Church Maria am Gestade can be recognised."

After bumping into him at the railway station, George Droste is invited to the home of Baron von Staub for the weekend.

Having travelled back to Vienna by bus, George Droste (Peter Van Eyck) walks through dark streets. Here, Manuel Gurtner explains, Munich stands in for Vienna, as this is the Glyptothek museum, inaugurated in 1830 and located on Königsplatz.

From ground level, and slightly off angle due to a pop concert being set up in Königsplatz on the day I visited. (SR)

A Figure (John Cowley) begins to pursue the mild mannered wine merchant.

Droste is followed around a corner.

On an empty street, Droste turns to check that he is still being pursued before a Patrol pulls up and arrest him after identification by the Figure.

Following questioning and agreeing to work with the US Secret Service, Droste travels to Hungary. Seen many times before, the stock footage also appears in 'The Set Up', 'Night Train to Paris', 'Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors' and 'From Russia with Love'.

At his hotel in Budapest, Droste is contacted by Horvat. Budapest with the Széchenyi Chain Bridge crossing the River Danube in the foreground and the Hungarian Parliament Building to the top left.

Andrew Price was happy for someone to take a more accurate shot than his, so one month later Steve Randall obliged.

After receiving payment for transporting microfilm, Droste is collected from outside his hotel by Horvat in his Ford Taunus and taken to meet the Chief of Hungarian Police.

Becoming involved with Piroska Maslov one evening at a restaurant, Droste agrees to gain information from her for the Chief of Police. Ruprechtskirche on Ruprechtsplatz in Vienna 1. The location also features in 'The Third Man'.

In today's view a tree occupies the foreground. (SR)

Droste follows Soviet Agent Piroska Maslov (Billie Whitelaw) as she heads to church.

After asking Father Zambory to help with safe passage out of Hungary, Droste is aware that Horvat is watching him.

Fleeing from Horvat, Droste is directed to a waiting mail van by Father Zambory.

Leaving from the back of the church, the mail van heads for an Abbey outside of the city.

Joining others who are fleeing the country, Droste is concealed in a cattle box with his travelling companions.

Passing safely through a checkpoint, the Tractor Driver (Bart Bastable) continues towards a farmyard where they arrive after darkness.

Met by a Young Priest, Droste, Paul Vass, Count Dezsepalvy and Nora Gulden are given lodgings for the night just two kilometres from the frontier.

Arriving back in Vienna with Nora, Droste gives his report to Mr. Smith of the US Secret Service. The dome of the Hofburg Palace stands to the left while St. Stephen's Cathedral stands in the right distance. A similar view can be seen in 'The Third Man'.

Given another job by Smith, Droste is sent to Hamburg to spy on General Greenhahn. After more than 60 years, it was quite difficult for Manuel Gurtner to find the right spot . . . the wide street, named Kajen, alongside the Binnenhafen basin, connects the Hohe Brücke across Nikolaifleet, located behind the camera, with Schaartorbrücke across Alsterfleet. In the centre left, the circle line of the here elevated U-Bahn crosses the Alsterfleet at the junction with Binnenhafen, together with Otto-Sill-Brücke and Binnenhafenbrücke, both built in 1912 and renovated in the mid-1960s. Since then, the whole area has changed dramatically again and most of the visible buildings have disappeared. In the distance on the right you can see the 132m high tower of St. Michaelis, popularly known as "Michel", which is one of the five main churches in Hamburg.

Recognised by the General and persuaded to obtain his wartime archives for $100,000, Droste travels to East Berlin. The Brandenburg Gate at the junction of Unter den Linden and Ebertstraße in the Russian Sector of East Berlin, East Germany.

Malcolm Tinnelly made his way to the location for this view.

After making contact with Herr Bloch through Dr. Ritter, the General's archives are removed from a morgue in the Eastern Zone and loaded into a van.

Droste is stopped at a checkpoint where one of the coffins in the back of the van is examined.

Johnny Droste (Jeremy Bulloch) spends time with his Father and Nora during the school holidays.

As George Droste leaves the police station in Hamburg after speaking with Inspector Huebring, a machine gun appears through the window of an approaching car.