The Scarlet Coat is a 1955 American historical drama and swashbuckler in Eastmancolor and CinemaScope released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, produced by Nicholas Nayfack, directed by John Sturges. It stars Cornel Wilde, Michael Wilding, George Sanders, and Anne Francis. The film is based upon the events in the American Revolution in which Benedict Arnold offered to surrender the fort at West Point to the British in exchange for money.
The film purports to tell the story of the creation of the "American Secret Service". It weaves a spy/counterspy tale in which British and American counterparts, played by Michael Wilding as the historical personage Major John André and Cornel Wilde as the fictional Major John Bolton (Bolton being the "code name" used real life Continental Army Intelligence officer Benjamin Tallmadge; for this film it is simply treated as the character's actual name), each unaware that the other is attempting to outsmart him for the sake of their countries, deal with issues of honor, loyalty, and friendship. There is also some rivalry between the men for the love of a beautiful woman, the fictional Sally Cameron (Anne Francis).
While historically André and Major Benjamin Tallmadge, Bolton's historical counterpart, did meet shortly before André was to be hanged as a spy (Talmadge's regiment of light dragoons was charged with guarding André), their acquaintance was not the longer-term and deeper friendship suggested in the film. Bolton betrays this friendship out of duty in the film, but Karl Tunberg's script ameliorates that difficulty by having Bolton make attempts to save Andre's life. Another important departure from history is that during the course of events André saves Bolton when the latter is arrested for being a spy, something that never occurred.
André is treated sympathetically in the film while Wilde's fictional Major Bolton is portrayed as more ruthless, particularly in the brutality he employs to accomplish his objectives. The script is noted for its even-handedness in depicting both sides of the conflict.
It was Olaf Hytten's last film appearance.
Plot
In 1780 General Benedict Arnold commands the Continental Army defenses at West Point, New York. Major John Bolton (Cornel Wilde), a dragoon officer assigned to counterintelligence, intercepts and kills a British spy leaving the Storm King Tavern, and captures a letter found on his body. He reports to Gen. Robert Howe (John McIntire), that the coded message was from the British spy calling himself "Gustavus" to "James Osborn", in care of Dr. Jonathan Odell of New York, stating that Arnold has taken command at West Point. The secret knowledge indicates that the spy is a "highly placed person". Bolton returns to the tavern, where one of his contacts, stable boy Ben Potter (Bobby Driscoll), tells him that the Tory wife of a redcoat, Mrs. Sally Cameron (Anne Francis), is traveling under a flag of truce possibly carrying information to the enemy. She catches them searching her room, where Bolton takes her safe conduct pass after verbally sparring with her. Mrs. Cameron tries to seduce Bolton to obtain its return, but he rebuffs her. A messenger arrives with a package for "Mr. Moody", but when no one by that name can be found, another traveler, Col. Winfield, offers to deliver the package. Bolton recognizes that Winfield is an imposter, and in a struggle over the package, kills him. Other American officers arrest Bolton for murder and deliver him to Howe.