Mr Arkadin Plot line

[Colmena]

Is there an Eric Ambler mystery /thriller, published prior to Mr Arkadin, which offers the plot line of a "hero" who is hired to dig up witnesses to some secret drama, in order that the witnesses can be killed off by the one who is doing the hiring? I have a memory of such, perhaps mentioned in regard to Welles' version of this plot in Mr A.

Ambler was the author of _Journey into Fear_, right? Hence, someone known to our OW.

-- thanks,

Colmena

[Wellesnet]

You may be thinking of Ambler's "A Coffin For Demetrios", which is thought by some to bear a passing resemblance to Arkadin.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB100014240 ... 1211445742

[jbrooks]

Alan Parker's "Angel Heart" is a later film with a similar plot -- albeit with a twist.

[Colmena]

Thanks for these replies.

The Ambler novel was made into a 1944 noir movie "The Mask of Dimitrios." Not at Netflix, I'm sorry to say.