Against the Wind (1948)

British agents engage in hazardous duty behind German lines.

Director:

Charles Crichton

Writers:

J. Elder Wills (story), Michael Pertwee (adaptation),

Stars:

Robert Beatty, Simone Signoret, Jack Warner

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Beatty	...	Father Phillip Elliott
Simone Signoret	...	Michèle Dennis
Jack Warner	...	Max Cronk
Gordon Jackson	...	Johnny Duncan
Paul Dupuis	...	Jacques Picquart
Gisèle Préville	...	Julie
John Slater	...	Emile Meyer
Peter Illing	...	Andrew
James Robertson Justice	...	Ackerman
Sybille Binder	...	Florence Malou
Hélène Hansen	...	Marie Berlot
Gilbert Davis	...	Commandant
Andrew Blackett	...	Frankie
Arthur Lawrence	...	Captain Verreker
Eugene Deckers	...	Marcel Van Hecke

Storyline

Philip Elliot, refugee Belgian priest, reports to a secret school in London for spies and saboteurs behind German lines. After training, he and two others parachute into Belgium to help destroy a records office. This mission leads to German capture of an important resistance leader; four more agents (Emile, Max, Scotty, and Michele) go in on a rescue mission. But one of them is a traitor; and other things go wrong...

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Plot Keywords:

traitor | belgium | parachute | spy | ealing | 

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Taglines:

They played macabre jokes - lively but deadly.

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Genres:

Action | War | Drama

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 June 1949 (USA)

Also Known As:

Enantia ston anemo

Filming Locations:

Ealing Studios, Ealing, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ealing Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The title of the film is taken from a quote from 'Childe Harold's Pilgrimage by Lord Byron- "Yet, Freedom! Yet thy banner torn, but flying, streams like the thunder-storm against the wind" (Canto iv, Stanza 98).

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Soundtracks

"Hoo Hoo"
(uncredited)
Traditional
Arranged by Ernest Irving

User Reviews

Good in parts; very average in others

First the good bits and that mainly centres around Simone Signoret, who as usual is excellent. But this poses a problem, for the "love-affair" of the film, which involves her and a young Gordon Jackson who looks and acts as though he had never been out of Cowdenbeath. So hardly the material to interest a sophisticated European lady as played by Ms. Signoret. Not good casting, indeed one of the more ridiculous romantic combinations in the history of motion pictures.

That being said the film, in black and white, has some atmosphere, tension and you feel that you are there, which is important. The rather bizarre casting continues, however, with the unlikely scenario of a rather elderly Jack Warner playing the part of a commando. Still if he was still an active policeman at 80 years of age in Dixon of Dock Green , who are we to argue with his credentials. In addition he is part of the two most memorable scenes in the film, one when he meets the Irish girl working for the Germans and secondly when he has to contend with a very angry Ms. Signoret holding a pistol.

James Robertson Justice is, as always, very believable as the organiser of the missions working from base and there are some good supporting actors who play around his character. For some reason the part played by John Slater irritated me from start to finish, though the rest of the cast, including Robert Beatty, were sound if a touch wooden.

I would summarise this film as a pleasant and nostalgic way to spend a rainy afternoon and if it is on sale for around £5 then worth a look.