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Mystery drama

The Mask of Dimitrios (1944): Cast & Plot

The Mask of Dimitrios (1944) movie poster

The Mask of Dimitrios is a 1944 mystery drama directed by Jean Negulesco, starring Zachary Scott as Dimitrios Makropoulos, Nino Pipitone and Sydney Greenstreet. It runs 1 hour 35 minutes.

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The Mask of Dimitrios (1944) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 35m (95 min)
Director
Jean Negulesco
Genres
Mystery , Drama , Crime
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Mask of Dimitrios About?

The premise of The Mask of Dimitrios without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A mystery writer becomes fascinated by notorious criminal Dimitrios Makropolous after his corpse washes ashore in Istanbul. Determined to uncover the truth, he pursues Dimitrios’s criminal career across Europe, accompanied by the enigmatic Mr. Peters, whose hidden motives hint at a deeper conspiracy, as their paths meet in a final showdown.

The Mask of Dimitrios Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • espionage
  • belgrade yugoslavia
  • greenstreet and lorre
  • police officer
  • dutch
  • criminal
  • writer
  • mystery writer
  • blackmail
  • murder
  • greek
  • bosphorus
+38 more
  • assassination
  • career criminal
  • smuggling
  • revenge
  • beach
  • corpse
  • crime wave
  • drug addict
  • records
  • ministry
  • bureau
  • orchid
  • master spy
  • cruelty
  • kept woman
  • evil man
  • orient express
  • hall of records
  • journalist
  • casino
  • library
  • reference to saint francis of assisi
  • stabbed to death
  • dead body in water
  • hotel
  • sofia bulgaria
  • milquetoast
  • siamese cat
  • false accusation
  • paris france
  • istanbul turkey
  • flashback
  • international intrigue
  • train
  • suicide
  • subway
  • spy
  • roulette
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Cast & crew

The Mask of Dimitrios Cast & Characters

Zachary Scott leads the cast as Dimitrios Makropoulos, with Nino Pipitone as Hotel Clerk in Istanbul (uncredited) and Sydney Greenstreet as Mr. Peters. Directed by Jean Negulesco; 70 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in The Mask of Dimitrios

· 66 more
Show all 70 cast members
Plot

The Mask of Dimitrios Plot Summary

What happens in The Mask of Dimitrios from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 10 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In 1938, the Dutch mystery writer Cornelius Leyden, Peter Lorre, travels to Istanbul to seek a gripping subject for his next book. At a refined evening gathering, a curious Turkish police Colonel Haki, Kurt Katch, suggests that the infamous Dimitrios Makropoulos—a Salonika-born figure who now fascinates criminal lore—might illuminate the page-turning narrative Leyden hopes to write. The two men are led to a mortuary where the body of Dimitrios Makropoulos lies, and Leyden’s curiosity tightens into a resolute drive to learn who this man was and how his life unraveled. The scene is tense, the air thick with the smell of formaldehyde and intrigue, as Leyden confronts the limits of what he can bear to hear about a life steeped in danger.

Full summary

The whole story of The Mask of Dimitrios, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Videos

The Mask of Dimitrios Trailers & Videos

The trailer of The Mask of Dimitrios.

The Mask of Dimitrios trailer 1944 Peter Lorre Sydney Greenstreet
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Mask of Dimitrios?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What profession does Cornelius Leyden have in the film?

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FAQ

The Mask of Dimitrios FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of The Mask of Dimitrios, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Mask of Dimitrios?

The Mask of Dimitrios runs 1 hour 35 minutes (95 minutes).

When was The Mask of Dimitrios released?

The Mask of Dimitrios was released on June 23, 1944.

Who directed The Mask of Dimitrios?

The Mask of Dimitrios was directed by Jean Negulesco.

More films by Jean Negulesco

Who is in the cast of The Mask of Dimitrios?

The Mask of Dimitrios stars Zachary Scott as Dimitrios Makropoulos, Nino Pipitone as Hotel Clerk in Istanbul (uncredited) and Sydney Greenstreet as Mr. Peters, among 70 credited actors.

Does The Mask of Dimitrios have a post-credit scene?

No. The Mask of Dimitrios has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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