 Although the movie was ostensibly based on a true story, and Scotland was known as "Schottland" during his service with German forces in Africa at the turn of the century, the movie was not based on Scotland's experiences.He served during the war as commandant of "The London Cage," an MI19 facility that interrogated captured Germans.Michael Caine appears in a bit part as a Gestapo officer, and Donald Pleasence plays a German general.