Director: John Madden
Writers: Michelle Ashford, Ben Macintyre
Starring: Colin Firth, Matthew Macfadyen, Johnny Flynn, Kelly Macdonald
Production Company: See-Saw Films
Kent Locations Used: The Historic Dockyard Chatham

Operation Mincemeat (2022) is a drama set during World War Two. The film is based on the true story on how British intelligence officers pulled off one of the most successful wartime deceptions of Nazi Germany.

The film was written by Michelle Ashford (The Pacific, Boomtown) and is based on the book by Ben Macintyre. Stars of the film include Colin Firth (Kingsman: The Secret Service, Pride and Prejudice) as Ewen Montagu, Matthew Macfadyen (The Current War (2019), Churchills Secret) as Charles Cholmondeley, Johnny Flynn (Vanity Fair (2018), Stardust, The Dig) as James Bond author Ian Fleming and Kelly Macdonald (Line of Duty, The Victim) as Jean Leslie. Supporting cast includes Penelope Wilton (Downton Abbey (2010-2013), Summerland (2020)) and Alex Jennings (The Crown Series 1 – 6 (2016-2023), The Halcyon (2017)).

Production visited The Historic Dockyard Chatham to film on HMS Cavalier and at Anchor Wharf. HMS Cavalier is hard to spot, but it features at the beginning and end of the film in a sequence where the Allied forces are approaching the coast of Sicily.  Anchor Wharf doubles as the R.N. Submarine Base at Holy Loch, where Charles (Matthew Macfadyen) tells Ewen (Colin Firth) that he is going to travel with the dead body to Spain.

Set on the River Medway The Historic Dockyard Chatham was once an active Royal Navy shipyard and is a popular Kent filming location, especially for period dramas looking for London street doubles. Previous WWII-based productions to film at the Dockyard include Summerland (2020), World On Fire (2019) and Red Joan (2019).

Operation Mincemeat was released in UK cinemas on Tuesday 15th April 2022.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.