The Imitation Game

A recommendation from a participant in our “paper-based” facilitator training.  I watched the movie a few times — and the following comments are spot-on!

I just saw The Imitation Game last weekend.   It’s the movie that features the team that was assembled  to break the Nazi Enigma code in WWII.  SPOILER ALERT–at the point in the movie where the team realizes that may have finally broken the code–the team leader prevents a colleague from informing anyone of their success, even though they know that each minute they delay using what they know that people are dying.  As this moral dilemma plays out in an explosive scene, the team leader posits, “what would the Nazi’s do if they knew we have broken the code?”   In the moments that follow they list one possibility after another–all of which convinces them that they need to keep what they know under wraps and selectively leverage the information in a way that doesn’t make the Nazi’s suspect the code has been compromised.  Can’t tell their allies, can’t tell their senior military leaders–just a select few in MI6.  They decode messages daily and decide who will get advance warning of a potential attack at sea, on the mainland or at home or at sea.  They use statistical probability to decide which decoded messages to release and which to keep secret.  In essence, they are building bridges and barriers to projected possible outcomes based on what best serves and supports their long term goal of defeating the axis powers.  

It makes a very powerful connection to the use of the tool.  If and when we are able to secure a usable film clip it would make a lasting impression on those who see it.