Doc (Roy Scheider) is a secret agent who is killed by Nazi war criminal Szell (Laurence Olivier), who then kidnaps Doc's younger brother, Babe (Dustin Hoffman). In order to survive, Babe must break his self-imposed rule about nonviolence to defend himself

Film Trivia

• Dustin Hoffman's commitment to his role has passed into cinematic lore. He turned up dishevelled to the set one day having not slept for 3 days in order to look sleep deprived. Laurence Olivier replied 'My dear boy, why don't you just try acting?'.
• Laurence Olivier was so frightened that he would hurt Dustin Hoffman while filming the torture scene that he would constantly ask him if he was alright after every take. So Hoffman decided to play a prank and screamed in agony while filming one scene
• The torture scenes in this movie were shortened after test audiences were physically sick.
• Laurence Olivier had trouble using the large switchblade made for his character and often when he tried to activate it the blade would not come out.
• Renowned method actor Dustin Hoffman asked to be held down under the water during the bath drowning scene. He asked the actors to hold him down for as long as they could and to really let him fight them. After one take he required an oxygen mask.

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