- The Colditz Story
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The Colditz Story Directed by Guy Hamilton Produced by Ivan Foxwell Written by Guy Hamilton
Ivan FoxwellStarring John Mills
Eric Portman
Christopher Rhodes
Ian Carmichael
Lionel JeffriesMusic by Francis Chagrin Distributed by British Lion Films Release date(s) 25 January 1955 Running time 93 minutes Country United Kingdom Language English The Colditz Story is a 1955 prisoner of war film starring John Mills and Eric Portman and directed by Guy Hamilton.
It is based on the book written by P.R. Reid, a British army officer who was imprisoned in Oflag IV-C, Colditz Castle, in Germany during the Second World War and who was the Escape Officer for British POWs within the castle.
Contents
Plot
British, French, Dutch and Polish Prisoners of War (POWs), of many other nationalities who have repeatedly made escape attempts but have been recaptured, are sent to Oflag IV-C, a supposedly secure castle or schloss, in Saxony in the heart of Nazi Germany during World War II. At first the different nationalities try to initiate their own plans until the Senior British Officer (SBO) steps in and suggests co-operation between the different contingents. At first, the coordination fails because one of the prisoners is supplying information to the German guards. After he is discovered, plans remain secret. There then follow a number of escapes; some successful, some not.
The prisoners of Colditz are high-spirited and eager to needle the Germans. The escape officer of the British contingent, Patrick Reid (Mills), assists in the escape of other prisoners and finally carries out his own escape. The culmination of his escape, his successful crossing into Switzerland, is not depicted in the film.
Cast
- John Mills as Pat Reid
- Christopher Rhodes as Mac McGill
- Lionel Jeffries as Harry Tyler
- Bryan Forbes as Jimmy Winslow
- Guido Lorraine as Polish officer
- Anton Diffring as Fischer
- Richard Wattis as Richard Gordon
- Ian Carmichael as Robin Cartwright
- Eric Portman as Colonel Richmond
- Frederick Valk as Kommandant
- Denis Shaw as Priem
- Theodore Bikel as Vandy, Machiel van den heuvel
- Keith Pyott as French colonel
- Eugene Deckers as La Tour
- Anthony Faramus as British officer
- Peter Swanwick as Lutyens
Production notes
The revue at the end of the film involves a parody of the song I Belong to Glasgow, and the routine of Flanagan and Allen (including Underneath the Arches).
A BBC television series also based on Reid's book and crediting this film followed during 1972–74, and starred David McCallum, Robert Wagner, Jack Hedley and Edward Hardwicke.
External links
Films directed by Guy Hamilton 1950s The Ringer (1952) · The Intruder (1953) · An Inspector Calls (1954) · The Colditz Story (1955) · Charley Moon (1956) · Manuela (1957) · The Devil's Disciple (1959) · A Touch of Larceny (1959)1960s The Best of Enemies (1961) · Man in the Middle (1963) · Goldfinger (1964) · Funeral in Berlin (1966) · Battle of Britain (1969)1970s Diamonds Are Forever (1971) · Live and Let Die (1973) · The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) · Force 10 from Navarone (1978)1980s The Mirror Crack'd (1980) · Evil Under the Sun (1982) · Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985) · Try This One for Size (1989)Categories:- 1955 films
- British films
- English-language films
- British Lion Films films
- Colditz Castle
- Films directed by Guy Hamilton
- Prisoner of war films
- War films based on actual events
- World War II films
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