M. E. Clifton James the basis for the script of the 1958 film starring John Mills and Cecil Parker with James playing himself and Montgomery. The script was 'tweaked' for effect; 'Operation Copperhead' became 'Operation Hambone', and additional elements of comedy, danger and intrigue were added. James also appeared in a short cameo (and non-speaking) appearance as Field Marshal Montgomery in the 1957 film "High Flight", starring Ray Milland. On 20 January 1959, James appeared on an episode of the TV series "To Tell the Truth". James died on 8 May 1963 at his home on Thorn Road in Worthing, Sussex, aged 65. M.
M. E. Clifton James a campaign designed to deceive the Germans in the lead-up to D-Day. About seven weeks before D-Day in 1944, Lieutenant-Colonel J V B Jervis-Reid noticed James's resemblance to Montgomery while he was reviewing photographs in a newspaper. James, it seemed, had 'rescued' a failing patriotic show by appearing in it, quite briefly, as 'Monty'. MI5 decided to exploit the resemblance to confuse German intelligence. James was contacted by Lieutenant-Colonel David Niven, who worked for the Army's film unit, and was asked to come to London on the pretext of making a film. When Niven explained that it was about something