Orders to Kill

Orders to Kill

Year: 1958

Runtime: 107 mins

Language: English

Director: Anthony Asquith

WarDramaThriller

After being grounded, an American fighter pilot is recruited into a covert espionage unit and sent to occupied France on a high‑stakes assignment. His target is a modest Paris lawyer believed to have betrayed the resistance by selling radio operators to the Nazis, forcing the pilot into a deadly pursuit behind enemy lines.

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Timeline & Setting – Orders to Kill (1958)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Orders to Kill (1958). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1944

The events take place during World War II, centering on the year 1944. The mission and much of the action occur in Nazi-occupied Paris, with a later liberation and a recovery period in a military hospital after Paris is freed. The narrative traces the lead-up to a high-stakes assassination and its grim consequences across several months.

Location

Washington, DC; Paris, France; Boston; England

The story unfolds across several wartime locations. It begins in Washington, DC in 1944 as planners select Summers for a covert mission, then shifts to Summers' hometown of Boston before he travels to England for brutal training. He is ultimately dropped into Nazi-occupied Paris, where the Resistance operates and a dressmaker named Léonie becomes his contact. The plot spans the urban streets of Paris to a cemetery as the war rages and its aftermath unfolds.

🏙️ Occupied Paris 🗺️ World War II Europe 🇺🇸 United States homefront 🇬🇧 England wartime training

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:09

Main Characters – Orders to Kill (1958)

Meet the key characters of Orders to Kill (1958), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Gene Summers (Paul Massie)

A young U.S. Army Air Forces ex-bombardier who speaks fluent French and is selected for a covert assassination in Nazi-occupied Paris. He grapples with competing duties and a growing sense of guilt as he questions whether Lafitte is a double agent. The mission leads to a fatal choice that triggers alcoholism and a troubled quest for redemption after Paris is liberated.

🎖️ U.S. Army Air Forces 🧭 Moral conflict

Léonie (Irene Worth)

A dressmaker who serves as Summers' Resistance contact in Paris. She urges Summers to follow orders but also pushes him to consider the human cost of his mission. She is captured and killed by the Nazis, underscoring the dangers faced by Resistance supporters.

🇫🇷 Parisian Resistance 💬 Informant under pressure

Marcel Lafitte (Leslie French)

A gentle, intelligent Parisian with a loving wife and daughter, who is protective of his cat Mimieux. Summers initially suspects him as a double agent, but Lafitte's warmth and humanity complicate the decision to kill him, which ultimately proves to be a grave error.

🇫🇷 Parisian 🎩 Gentlemanly figure 🐈 Cat-loving family man

Mme. Lafitte (Anne Blake)

Lafitte's wife who, with limited means, faces hardship as the family becomes impoverished in the aftermath of his death. She embodies the civilian cost of war and the resilience of those left behind.

🇫🇷 Parisian spouse 🧡 Family resilience

Mrs. Summers (Lillian Gish)

Gene Summers's mother, living in Boston. Summers visits her before the mission, implying a homefront influence on his character and sense of duty during wartime.

👩‍👦 Family matriarch 🏠 Homefront support

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:09

Major Themes – Orders to Kill (1958)

Explore the central themes of Orders to Kill (1958), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

⚖️ Moral Dilemma

Summers is ordered to kill a man who seems innocent, forcing him to weigh duty against conscience. His misgivings grow as he observes Lafitte's humanity and the love he shows his family. The turning point arrives when the act is completed and the truth about Lafitte's innocence is revealed.

💔 Guilt Burden

The assassination drives Summers into alcoholism and withdrawal, a direct consequence of his moral injury. He hides the stolen money and grapples with the weight of a decision that costs lives, including the life of Léonie. The film tracks the long shadow of guilt after the war culminates in a painful reckoning.

🤔 Misplaced Trust

Summer's suspicions about Lafitte create a chasm between judgment and truth. Léonie challenges his certainty, reminding him that orders come with consequences and that loyalty can be tested by circumstance. The eventual revelation of Lafitte's innocence reframes Summers' understanding of courage and betrayal.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:09

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Orders to Kill Summary

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Orders to Kill Summary

Orders to Kill Timeline

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Orders to Kill Timeline

More About Orders to Kill

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Orders to Kill (1958) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

Orders to Kill (1958) Scene-by-Scene Movie Timeline

Orders to Kill (1958) Spoiler-Free Summary & Key Flow