[2] A romantic suspense thriller with espionage elements, the script was based on both a same-titled novel by Ronald Kirkbride, and the non-fiction book documenting the case of real-life double agent George Blake titled The Springing of George Blake by Sean Bourke, the motion picture rights to both of which Hitchcock acquired.
After they consummate their love, Brand arrives and attempts to kill both Bailey and Carla, leading to her becoming trapped in a gas-styled[clarification needed] sauna.
Bailey rescues Carla and, with the help of a Finnish police officer, they try to stop Brand making it to the Finnish-Soviet border on a train with his kidnapped children.
He also reportedly offered the same role to Ed Lauter, who appeared in Family Plot, as well as Sean Connery, Clint Eastwood, and Steve McQueen.
Because of the director's ill health, Universal Pictures cancelled the project in 1979, and the film never got beyond the early pre-production stage with such Hitchcock associates as Norman Lloyd, Henry Bumstead and Robert F. Boyle actively involved.