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Ben Hoyle, Arts Reporter

Forget Roger Moore’s jaunty James Bond - the life of a real spy comes at a huge emotional and psychological cost to agents and their families, according to a documentary.

In The Champagne Spy, showing tomorrow at The Times BFI 51st London Film Festival, Israeli secret agents speak openly for the first time about their work and the terrible toll that it had on one man in particular.

Major Ze’ev Gur Arie was a German-born Israeli sent to Egypt in 1961 by Mossad to penetrate the circle of German scientists developing weapons of mass destruction. He adopted the identity of Wolfgang Lotz, an ex-Nazi millionaire and playboy, but he became addicted to the lavish lifestyle and was unable to resume his former identity when his cover was blown.

Jacob Nahmias, his contact in Paris, describes him in the film as “the kind of man who could look the angel of death in the eyes, never lower his gaze, invite him to a drink and raise a glass to him. He had nerves of steel.”

The film is a timely exploration of the intelligence battle between Israel and Egypt. In June Ashraf Marwan, an Egyptian businessman and former security adviser to President Sadat, died after falling five stories from his flat in London. Some claim that he was an Israeli spy and others that he was a double agent. Police are still investigating his death.

Avraham Shalom, one of the senior intelligence officials interviewed in The Champagne Spy, said: “Espionage is not a profession - it’s an art form. The danger is not to overdo it.”

Major Arie did, by marrying a woman he met in Cairo, while his Israeli wife and child were living in Paris. When he was exposed he was tried and jailed for life. He was freed in 1968 but could not readjust. He sank into poverty and ended up working as a salesman in a department store in Munich. He died in 1993.

Nadav Schirman, the film’s writer and director, says Mossad is showing the film to agents to highlight the problems of undercover work. “It’s known as lochemitis, which I would loosely translate as secret agent-itis. The real life of a spy is terrible. It’s lonely and the psychological and personal toll is tremendous. They can’t really be themselves, form real friendships or have an outlet for their emotions. The cost to their families is horrendous.”

Major Arie’s son, Oded, recalled that although his father became increasingly distant he still showed flashes of humour. “He’d pick me up from school. We’d go eat together and go to a movie. I remember we went to see James Bond once – From Russia with Love. He laughed and told me it’s much more interesting in real life.”

http://entertainment.timesonline.co...icle2708983.ece

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