A pot-boiler of a Film that is intelligently crafted by Director Robert Parrish. To some it may seem intolerably slow & lacking pace, but to others like myself the Film does something that nearly all Films in the Fifties and indeed many now do not even attempt to achieve, and that is take the time to investigate the main characters in depth and in detail. This is done not via long tracts of dialogue, but via the un-said. In particular Peck and the astonishingly beautiful and talented Win Man Than as 'Anna' develop their relationship in the Film in the subtlest and most delicate of manners. I can find no further information on Win Man Tan, but her performance in this period piece, is one part enchanting, one part mesmerising. We understand fully how Peck's psychiatric problems eventually dissolve as hie begins to find perspective courtesy of love for 'Anna'. This Film is not staggering nor the best piece of Cinema you will ever see, but it is superbly acted, wonderfully cast, sparingly written, adroitly directed, and deserves to be watched by anyone who has a love of Cinema. Recommended, because what we see at our Cinemas today has MUCH to learn from Movie making such as this.
41 Reviews
Good movie
RIO-1528 April 1999
Peck is a neurotic, suicidal pilot in Burma during WWII. He's transformed by his love for a native girl, which gives him the drive to survive the trek through the harsh burmese wilderness after his plane crashes.
A good,dramatic film with serviceable performances by the cast. Especially by Brenda De Banzie as a missionary.
A good,dramatic film with serviceable performances by the cast. Especially by Brenda De Banzie as a missionary.
A Crisis of Confidence
bkoganbing6 May 2008
In The Purple Plain Gregory Peck became the latest in a long list of American stars playing Canadians in order to appear natural in a British production. At least Peck did not attempt an English accent as he did in The Paradine Case where he drifted in and out of one during the course of the film.
The Purple Plain is set in the China-Burma-India Theater of World War II and Peck is a pilot with the RAF. He's a man who takes reckless chances on missions because he's got nothing to live for, his wife having been killed in the blitz in wartime London.
But a doctor friend, Bernard Lee, decides what Peck needs is a new woman and a new purpose in life. He introduces him to missionary Brenda DaBanzie and also to a lovely Eurasian played by Win Min Than in her one and only film. If The Purple Plain has a glaring weakness it's her, she's beautiful, but can't act.
Peck may have a new outlook on life and a reason to live, but that fact is lost on Maurice Denham his bunkmate and copilot. On a routine mission, Peck, Denham, with new navigator Lyndon Brook crash in the Burmese jungle. Will they all survive as Peck's leadership is put to the test?
If the jungle looks familiar, The Purple Plain was shot in Sri Lanka, Ceylon at the time which was for a brief period, a most popular place for film locations. Around the same time Elephant Walk was done here and later on the acclaimed Bridge on the River Kwai. The Purple Plain is beautifully photographed in that jungle.
The Purple Plain is not as good as The Bridge on the River Kwai, it certainly is much better than Elephant Walk. Peck delivers a stalwart performance and gets able assistance from the rest of the cast with the exception of his leading lady. It's worth a look the next time it is broadcast.
The Purple Plain is set in the China-Burma-India Theater of World War II and Peck is a pilot with the RAF. He's a man who takes reckless chances on missions because he's got nothing to live for, his wife having been killed in the blitz in wartime London.
But a doctor friend, Bernard Lee, decides what Peck needs is a new woman and a new purpose in life. He introduces him to missionary Brenda DaBanzie and also to a lovely Eurasian played by Win Min Than in her one and only film. If The Purple Plain has a glaring weakness it's her, she's beautiful, but can't act.
Peck may have a new outlook on life and a reason to live, but that fact is lost on Maurice Denham his bunkmate and copilot. On a routine mission, Peck, Denham, with new navigator Lyndon Brook crash in the Burmese jungle. Will they all survive as Peck's leadership is put to the test?
If the jungle looks familiar, The Purple Plain was shot in Sri Lanka, Ceylon at the time which was for a brief period, a most popular place for film locations. Around the same time Elephant Walk was done here and later on the acclaimed Bridge on the River Kwai. The Purple Plain is beautifully photographed in that jungle.
The Purple Plain is not as good as The Bridge on the River Kwai, it certainly is much better than Elephant Walk. Peck delivers a stalwart performance and gets able assistance from the rest of the cast with the exception of his leading lady. It's worth a look the next time it is broadcast.
Worth Looking Into
dougdoepke4 August 2008
Purple Plain is an obscure film in Peck's long list of movie credits. I don't know if this British production got much publicity or release stateside, despite Peck's movie star celebrity. Unfortunately, it's never been a TV regular, which is too bad because this tale of renewal and survival is an unusual and gripping one, in spite of the obscurity.
The film opens in the Burmese jungle during WWII. Peck is a battle fatigued flyer on the ragged edge of breakdown. He's about to be relieved because of erratic behavior, all the while he's flashing back on his wife's death in a London air-raid. These are well-done scenes causing us to sympathize with his loss. Nonetheless, he's jeopardizing his comrades with reckless manuevers because the loss has undermined his will-to-live. Thus, we're torn between sympathy and concern, just like the flight station doctor (Bernard Lee).
In an interesting move, Lee overcomes Peck's agonies by reconnecting him socially, in this case with a nearby missionary community. There Peck finds the vital human relationships so importantly missing from his death-dealing combat duties. As a result, his life takes on new meaning and purpose as a result of rejoining a human community where such life-giving affirmations can emerge. On the whole these are well-done scenes, especially the chaos from the Japanese air attack. In the midst of the carnage, Peck's combat flyer finds a new role in helping to bandage up survivors. Herein lies the movie's basic message and it's an important and humane one, conveyed in fairly subtle fashion, though the turn-around occurs more quickly than I would have liked.
Nonetheless, it's interesting that the script avoids the usual officially sanctioned head-doctor therapies. Note that Peck is not sent to be counseled by an air force psychiatrist, nor to join a chest-baring therapy group, nor to have his past puzzled together Freudian style. Of course, the happy solution here remains a "movie" solution where-- as we all know-- anything can be made to magically happen. Still, for a war-movie setting, the simple affirmation that mental health lies through nurturing social relations and not through government sanctioned killing remains no less suggestive because of its movie origins.
The remainder of the film amounts to a survival trek through the wilds of southeast Asia. It's a well-filmed and harrowing struggle against a forbidding landscape where the crash survivors must decide between staying put or hiking out against great odds. But most importantly, it's Peck's chance to regain his humanity by facing up to the odds, not just for his own survival, but for his two comrades as well. The movie's final scene could not have been better conceived. Indeed, no words are necessary. On the whole, this is a subtly and well thought out anti-war film, no less effective because it concerns the fate of one man rather than thousands.Too bad that its humane message remains so generally unseen.
The film opens in the Burmese jungle during WWII. Peck is a battle fatigued flyer on the ragged edge of breakdown. He's about to be relieved because of erratic behavior, all the while he's flashing back on his wife's death in a London air-raid. These are well-done scenes causing us to sympathize with his loss. Nonetheless, he's jeopardizing his comrades with reckless manuevers because the loss has undermined his will-to-live. Thus, we're torn between sympathy and concern, just like the flight station doctor (Bernard Lee).
In an interesting move, Lee overcomes Peck's agonies by reconnecting him socially, in this case with a nearby missionary community. There Peck finds the vital human relationships so importantly missing from his death-dealing combat duties. As a result, his life takes on new meaning and purpose as a result of rejoining a human community where such life-giving affirmations can emerge. On the whole these are well-done scenes, especially the chaos from the Japanese air attack. In the midst of the carnage, Peck's combat flyer finds a new role in helping to bandage up survivors. Herein lies the movie's basic message and it's an important and humane one, conveyed in fairly subtle fashion, though the turn-around occurs more quickly than I would have liked.
Nonetheless, it's interesting that the script avoids the usual officially sanctioned head-doctor therapies. Note that Peck is not sent to be counseled by an air force psychiatrist, nor to join a chest-baring therapy group, nor to have his past puzzled together Freudian style. Of course, the happy solution here remains a "movie" solution where-- as we all know-- anything can be made to magically happen. Still, for a war-movie setting, the simple affirmation that mental health lies through nurturing social relations and not through government sanctioned killing remains no less suggestive because of its movie origins.
The remainder of the film amounts to a survival trek through the wilds of southeast Asia. It's a well-filmed and harrowing struggle against a forbidding landscape where the crash survivors must decide between staying put or hiking out against great odds. But most importantly, it's Peck's chance to regain his humanity by facing up to the odds, not just for his own survival, but for his two comrades as well. The movie's final scene could not have been better conceived. Indeed, no words are necessary. On the whole, this is a subtly and well thought out anti-war film, no less effective because it concerns the fate of one man rather than thousands.Too bad that its humane message remains so generally unseen.
Surprisingly Good
Marlonius1 August 2006
Warning: Spoilers
I hadn't even heard of this movie until recently. I'm an aviation/WW2 fan, and I've always enjoyed Gregory Peck's films, so I figured what the heck.
Peck plays an emotionally scarred Canadian pilot flying with Commonwealth pilots in Burma in WW2. It looks like the planes they fly are done in Australian Air Force Markings, but I'm not certain on that count.
As other reviewers have stated, he meets a nice Burmese girl, and begins to come back emotionally. Unfortunately, he's downed in the wilderness with and injured man and a third uncooperative officer.
The story is somewhat predictable, and by the numbers for sure. I feel that it has aged relatively well though due to the largely excellent characterizations created by the actors and author. Of course, the special effects in this 52 year old film aren't up to today's standards, but I found them passable.
The film is beautifully shot and the location photography often breathtaking.
My only gripes are minor, the kind of thing that prevented the film from being a 10 in my books.: The officer who is burned in the crash lies there like an idiot, screaming until his companions throw sand on him to put out the flames. He had the stop and drop, but neither will do any good without the roll. Plus, the gore/makeup standards of the day prevented the filmmakers from showing anything truly horrific, so his injuries seemed pretty minor. The script required one of the three to be incapacitated, and the could have/should have come up with something better, like 2 broken legs.
The character of Bloor is a little too one dimensional, and the conflict between him and Forrester is much too on the nose. Surely a more subtle rising disagreement could have been created.
Minor mistakes that no person in his right mind would have made if it were real: After Bloor dies, Forrester leaves his hat there. As I watched it, I was saying to myself: "Grab that hat".
When Forrester leaves the navigator to march on by himself, he doesn't move him under shelter so that he'll have shade when the sun comes up. Plus he takes only one empty canteen with him on his quest for water.
On the plus side, there were some nice touches that I found very good. I really enjoyed the interaction between Forrester and Ana. I thought it was well acted, written and filmed.
I also found the picture of Bloor's wife and family very touching. Before dying, the last thing he did was look at this picture of his wife, whom we are previously informed is the love of his life. When we the audience finally see the picture, she's an average to homely looking woman. For me that greatly enhanced the realism of Bloor's character and the finality of his death.
And finally, the movie had excellent production values, good plane footage and dirt under the nails location photography.
Check it out!
Peck plays an emotionally scarred Canadian pilot flying with Commonwealth pilots in Burma in WW2. It looks like the planes they fly are done in Australian Air Force Markings, but I'm not certain on that count.
As other reviewers have stated, he meets a nice Burmese girl, and begins to come back emotionally. Unfortunately, he's downed in the wilderness with and injured man and a third uncooperative officer.
The story is somewhat predictable, and by the numbers for sure. I feel that it has aged relatively well though due to the largely excellent characterizations created by the actors and author. Of course, the special effects in this 52 year old film aren't up to today's standards, but I found them passable.
The film is beautifully shot and the location photography often breathtaking.
My only gripes are minor, the kind of thing that prevented the film from being a 10 in my books.: The officer who is burned in the crash lies there like an idiot, screaming until his companions throw sand on him to put out the flames. He had the stop and drop, but neither will do any good without the roll. Plus, the gore/makeup standards of the day prevented the filmmakers from showing anything truly horrific, so his injuries seemed pretty minor. The script required one of the three to be incapacitated, and the could have/should have come up with something better, like 2 broken legs.
The character of Bloor is a little too one dimensional, and the conflict between him and Forrester is much too on the nose. Surely a more subtle rising disagreement could have been created.
Minor mistakes that no person in his right mind would have made if it were real: After Bloor dies, Forrester leaves his hat there. As I watched it, I was saying to myself: "Grab that hat".
When Forrester leaves the navigator to march on by himself, he doesn't move him under shelter so that he'll have shade when the sun comes up. Plus he takes only one empty canteen with him on his quest for water.
On the plus side, there were some nice touches that I found very good. I really enjoyed the interaction between Forrester and Ana. I thought it was well acted, written and filmed.
I also found the picture of Bloor's wife and family very touching. Before dying, the last thing he did was look at this picture of his wife, whom we are previously informed is the love of his life. When we the audience finally see the picture, she's an average to homely looking woman. For me that greatly enhanced the realism of Bloor's character and the finality of his death.
And finally, the movie had excellent production values, good plane footage and dirt under the nails location photography.
Check it out!
Handsomely filmed WWII drama with Greg Peck as a downed pilot in a Burma jungle.
maksquibs29 May 2008
Well made faux-Hemingway with Gregory Peck reprising his neurotic pilot from 12 O'CLOCK HIGH, but in a mostly British production; the other American involved is Robert Parrish who smartly helmed. Brooding over his wife's death in the blitz, Peck finds something to live for in a young Burmese beauty. Then a routine flight goes awry and he lands in Japanese territory with two men to save. Geoffrey Unsworth provides riveting Technicolor images to go with the painterly action effects work, wonderfully different than the Hollywood norm at the time. And there's solid support from Bernard Lee, Maurice Denham, Lyndon Brook and a beauteous Win Min Than in her one & only film appearance. As a Scottish missionary Brenda De Banzie is over the top, but the film needs the bit of applied zest she provides.
War drama set in World War II Burma in which a trio is lost in the desert Burmese jungle
ma-cortes7 June 2013
Burma 1945 , after losing his fiancée in a Luftwaffe air raid, bomber pilot called Bill Forrester (Gregory Peck) turns into a lone killing machine, who doesn't care whether he dies in his dangerous dogfights . The nerve-shot and unsettling pilot is both admired and feared by the rest of his team . In Burma Squadron Leader Forrester falls in love for a young native named Anna (an alluring Win Min Than) . Later on , his plane has been downed in a spectacular crash sequence and Forrester attempting to get himself and his crew : a wounded navigator and an out-and-out coward partner named Blore (Maurice Denham) back to safety . Just before the crash Peck's navigator references "Where the dawn comes up like thunder", this is a quote from Mandalay by Rudyard Kipling ; in addition other quote from "The Charge of the Light Brigade" by Alfred Lord Tennyson.
Interesting as well as harrowing war movie set largely in the Burmese jungle . This exciting picture develops an agonising travel to hell when three survivors from a plane crash have to fight starvation, famine , thirst , elements and sun . Eric Ambler's plot rightly recreates the novel by H.E. Bates describing a survival drama and a love story . Very good acting by Gregory Peck as a reckless Canadian pilot who suffers nightmares from past . Excellent support cast provides nice acting such as Brenda de Banzie as Miss McNab , Bernard Lee as Dr. Harris and Anthony Bushell as Col Aldridge . Special mention to Maurice Denham , giving an awesomely fine performance as an unbalanced mind . Magnificent cinematography in brilliant Technicolor by Geoffrey Unsworth , being filmed on location in Elephant Pass, Sigiriya Rock, Sri Lanka and Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK . Thrilling as well as emotive musical score composed by John Veale , conducted by usual Muir Matheson .
The motion picture was well directed by Robert Parrish. Robert was an Academy Award-winning film editor who also realized and acted in movies . As an editor he won an Academy Award for Body and soul (1947), the 1947 Robert Rossen film that starred John Garfield as a money-grubbing, two-timing boxer on the make. Parrish also worked on All the King's Men (1949), an account of the rise and fall of a Louisiana politician that won the Academy Award for Best Picture. Parrish then moved on to direct films during the 1950s and 1960s . Among his best received works was the brooding western ¨Saddle the Wind¨ (1958) , a Noir film titled ¨Cry danger¨, a Sci-Fi picture titled ¨Journey to the far side of the sun¨, a thriller titled ¨The Marseille Contract¨ and other strange Western called ¨A town called Bastard¨. And of course , ¨Purple plain¨ results to be one of the best films .
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Interesting as well as harrowing war movie set largely in the Burmese jungle . This exciting picture develops an agonising travel to hell when three survivors from a plane crash have to fight starvation, famine , thirst , elements and sun . Eric Ambler's plot rightly recreates the novel by H.E. Bates describing a survival drama and a love story . Very good acting by Gregory Peck as a reckless Canadian pilot who suffers nightmares from past . Excellent support cast provides nice acting such as Brenda de Banzie as Miss McNab , Bernard Lee as Dr. Harris and Anthony Bushell as Col Aldridge . Special mention to Maurice Denham , giving an awesomely fine performance as an unbalanced mind . Magnificent cinematography in brilliant Technicolor by Geoffrey Unsworth , being filmed on location in Elephant Pass, Sigiriya Rock, Sri Lanka and Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK . Thrilling as well as emotive musical score composed by John Veale , conducted by usual Muir Matheson .
The motion picture was well directed by Robert Parrish. Robert was an Academy Award-winning film editor who also realized and acted in movies . As an editor he won an Academy Award for Body and soul (1947), the 1947 Robert Rossen film that starred John Garfield as a money-grubbing, two-timing boxer on the make. Parrish also worked on All the King's Men (1949), an account of the rise and fall of a Louisiana politician that won the Academy Award for Best Picture. Parrish then moved on to direct films during the 1950s and 1960s . Among his best received works was the brooding western ¨Saddle the Wind¨ (1958) , a Noir film titled ¨Cry danger¨, a Sci-Fi picture titled ¨Journey to the far side of the sun¨, a thriller titled ¨The Marseille Contract¨ and other strange Western called ¨A town called Bastard¨. And of course , ¨Purple plain¨ results to be one of the best films .
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Great film - a little tamer than the book
malcp22 August 2012
Warning: Spoilers
The Purple Plain is competently transferred to the big screen, but with a degree of amendment from the book that just takes the edge off it a little too much. Performances all round are first rate with Brenda De Banzie particularly worthy of note as the slightly manic Miss McNab. It's a good film, but it's not a great one and this really is one of those stories which deserves to be remade. Special effects, even for 1954 are pretty crude and this film is a good example of why rear projection quickly went out of fashion in colour films. Even the most sympathetic viewer will find most of the effects distract rather than enhance.
H.E Bates wrote perhaps the greatest of all WWII stories and although Eric Ambler put together some of the best WWII screenplays on film, here I think he just made some of the lead characters a little too nice and a little too cosy for the situation they find themselves in. The film is still worth watching, but to fully appreciate the depth of the story, you really need to read the book as well.
H.E Bates wrote perhaps the greatest of all WWII stories and although Eric Ambler put together some of the best WWII screenplays on film, here I think he just made some of the lead characters a little too nice and a little too cosy for the situation they find themselves in. The film is still worth watching, but to fully appreciate the depth of the story, you really need to read the book as well.
The Purple Plain
roy-buswell5 June 2006
I suppose the reason why I loved the film so much was that I was actually watching the film being made in Sigaria in Ceylon (Now Sri Lanka). I was part of an RAF Police team from RAF Columbo called to investigate the theft of some property from the set of the film. The visit also gave me the opportunity to actually have breakfast with Grgory Peck before the days shooting. I was astounded by the amount of detail that went into the making of the film, and the amount of responsibility put upon Jean, the continuity girl. Gregory Peck was a perfect gentleman, and I was so proud to actually be introduced to him by Brummie Benson, an RAF extra on the film set. To me, the film depicted courage at it's best, and as said by a previous critic , a simple story, with no over blown heroics,a good and believable cast, and a most enjoyable though somewhat predictable conclusion. But, NO bad language..... It's a pity more films of today cannot follow the same pattern. In all a very good example of the Royal Air Force at it's humble best, and a credit to the J.Arthur Rank Studios for its production
Wonderful performance by Gregory Peck
vincentlynch-moonoi27 March 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Let's get the one bit of bad news out of the way first -- while there are not a lot of special effects in this film, the special effects of air warfare at the beginning of the film are about the worst I've ever seen...and it has nothing to do with it being only 1954. Just plain cheap.
Okay, beyond that there is little to criticize. Well, maybe the ending wrapped things up just a little too quickly, but that is not uncommon in many films.
The good news is that much of the film was filmed on location...well...not really. Sri Lanka is not Burma. But then again, "The Bridge On The River Kwai", which was supposed to be Thailand, was also filmed in Sri Lanka. I was a bit surprised by the arid nature of much of the film's on location filming (I at least lived in Thailand for a while), but sure enough, there are parts of Burma that can be that arid for parts of the year.
The story -- which takes place in World War II Burma -- is a good, and very realistic. It is British story, not American.
Gregory Peck's acting here is superb. Wasn't it always? Really, his depth as a man with troubling memories who had allowed those issues to cloud his character is remarkable. I would go so far as to say that this is one of his finer roles, although I was unaware of it until recently.
Win Min Than is interesting as the love interest. It's worthwhile looking up her bio on IMDb or elsewhere. She is actually Burmese.
Maurice Denham, Lyndon Brook, and Bernard De Banzie are very good as British officers. Brenda De Banzie, whom I remembered from "The Man Who Knew Too Much" is interesting.
Highly recommended for Gregory Peck's acting ability.
Okay, beyond that there is little to criticize. Well, maybe the ending wrapped things up just a little too quickly, but that is not uncommon in many films.
The good news is that much of the film was filmed on location...well...not really. Sri Lanka is not Burma. But then again, "The Bridge On The River Kwai", which was supposed to be Thailand, was also filmed in Sri Lanka. I was a bit surprised by the arid nature of much of the film's on location filming (I at least lived in Thailand for a while), but sure enough, there are parts of Burma that can be that arid for parts of the year.
The story -- which takes place in World War II Burma -- is a good, and very realistic. It is British story, not American.
Gregory Peck's acting here is superb. Wasn't it always? Really, his depth as a man with troubling memories who had allowed those issues to cloud his character is remarkable. I would go so far as to say that this is one of his finer roles, although I was unaware of it until recently.
Win Min Than is interesting as the love interest. It's worthwhile looking up her bio on IMDb or elsewhere. She is actually Burmese.
Maurice Denham, Lyndon Brook, and Bernard De Banzie are very good as British officers. Brenda De Banzie, whom I remembered from "The Man Who Knew Too Much" is interesting.
Highly recommended for Gregory Peck's acting ability.
Rather Simple Story With Effective Moments
Theo Robertson19 July 2004
THE PURPLE PLAIN is a British war film which means it`s rather understated when compared to its American counterparts . There`s not a massive budget involved which means little in the way of spectacle and if truth be told the special effects involving a RAF fighter-bomber coming under attack from Japanese flak is somewhat unconvincing . It also contains a few too many stiff upper lipped chaps
I do give credit to the movie for bringing some type of psycological thought to the story though . The movie revolves around Canadian RAF pilot Squadron Leader Bill Forrester who is a suprisingly complex character for this type of movie . Forrester is a man who knows what grief is and it threatens to tear him apart . However the complexities and characteristics of Forrester soon become pushed into the background as the story concentrates on the adventure antics of the hero trying to escape from behind enemy lines
THE PURPLE PLAIN isn`t a movie that`s dated well . No doubt when it was released in the mid 1950s audiences ( Especially those who crewed an aircraft or fought in the Far East ) could relate to it more but it seems slightly cliched now . But like I said it does try to be a character study instead of a straight forward war movie and it does contain some effective moments
I do give credit to the movie for bringing some type of psycological thought to the story though . The movie revolves around Canadian RAF pilot Squadron Leader Bill Forrester who is a suprisingly complex character for this type of movie . Forrester is a man who knows what grief is and it threatens to tear him apart . However the complexities and characteristics of Forrester soon become pushed into the background as the story concentrates on the adventure antics of the hero trying to escape from behind enemy lines
THE PURPLE PLAIN isn`t a movie that`s dated well . No doubt when it was released in the mid 1950s audiences ( Especially those who crewed an aircraft or fought in the Far East ) could relate to it more but it seems slightly cliched now . But like I said it does try to be a character study instead of a straight forward war movie and it does contain some effective moments
Unusual, well written, acted and produced love/war movie.
SmilingBrian11 November 2004
This is a Rank Company (British) medium budget production of a post war H. E. Bates novel. Well directed by Robert Parrish, the screen writing by Eric Ambler is quite good. It was shot on site in, what was then, Ceylon. (Same location as "Bridge on the River Kwai")
The young Gregory Peck plays Bill Forrester a Canadian pilot in the RAF serving in far off Burma in the closing months of WWII. He flies a two seat Mosquito fighter-bomber. (The actual aircraft was provided through the cooperation of the RAF and repainted in accurate camouflage and markings, for once.) Forrester, it seems, has gone "round the bend" after losing his new wife in the Blitz. He's self destructive, wanting to end it all in combat. "You'd think that would be easy in a war", he explains to Anna, "but I just kept getting medals instead." Anna is a small, slim, pretty teacher, played very well by Win Min Than, a Burmese actress (how refreshing). They, of course, fall in love (It's a MOVIE, folks) and his life really seems to be turning around. But, on a routine flight, he and two others go down in a very remote desert area of Burma's central plain (hence, the title). From there on we have a rather good, believable survival saga.
The English love eccentric characters and this story has several, all well depicted by some of those fine performers who bounce back and forth between the British "legitimate" stage and cinema. Watch for Brenda De Banzie, who plays Miss McNab, an elderly missionary. (Ya couldn't miss her!)
The Purple Plain is a good movie, a fine movie really. Not too heavy, it's historically accurate with good production values. Forrester's growth curve coming out of his personal hell is quite interesting. I found the depiction of the native Burmese was respectful without being condescending. For instance, the love between Bill and Anna is portrayed in a very reserved manner, as it would be between a Westerner and a Christian Asian woman in real life. All in all, the story line and performances are very believable and very enjoyable. I highly recommended The Purple Plain, if YOU can find it.
The young Gregory Peck plays Bill Forrester a Canadian pilot in the RAF serving in far off Burma in the closing months of WWII. He flies a two seat Mosquito fighter-bomber. (The actual aircraft was provided through the cooperation of the RAF and repainted in accurate camouflage and markings, for once.) Forrester, it seems, has gone "round the bend" after losing his new wife in the Blitz. He's self destructive, wanting to end it all in combat. "You'd think that would be easy in a war", he explains to Anna, "but I just kept getting medals instead." Anna is a small, slim, pretty teacher, played very well by Win Min Than, a Burmese actress (how refreshing). They, of course, fall in love (It's a MOVIE, folks) and his life really seems to be turning around. But, on a routine flight, he and two others go down in a very remote desert area of Burma's central plain (hence, the title). From there on we have a rather good, believable survival saga.
The English love eccentric characters and this story has several, all well depicted by some of those fine performers who bounce back and forth between the British "legitimate" stage and cinema. Watch for Brenda De Banzie, who plays Miss McNab, an elderly missionary. (Ya couldn't miss her!)
The Purple Plain is a good movie, a fine movie really. Not too heavy, it's historically accurate with good production values. Forrester's growth curve coming out of his personal hell is quite interesting. I found the depiction of the native Burmese was respectful without being condescending. For instance, the love between Bill and Anna is portrayed in a very reserved manner, as it would be between a Westerner and a Christian Asian woman in real life. All in all, the story line and performances are very believable and very enjoyable. I highly recommended The Purple Plain, if YOU can find it.
Effective war romance
Marlburian21 June 2009
Warning: Spoilers
This is a good war film, unusual in that we never get to see the enemy. The cast is small but effective. A couple of minor points grated a little - as Marlonius has already mentioned, Peck really should have picked up Blore's hat for his heroic trek with the injured navigator; early on in the film it was made clear to us how extremely hot the climate was, with the men's tunics soaked in sweat. And after the crash Peck quickly sprouted some impressive bristles, which then all but disappeared.
SPOILER: We saw Peck realising he had found water, then there was an immediate switch back to the airfield where the CO explained what happened next.It was almost as if the makers of the film had realised they were running out of time or money and decided to omit a few scenes.
But all in all this is a convincing production that merits a highish ranking among war films (say in the second quartile).
SPOILER: We saw Peck realising he had found water, then there was an immediate switch back to the airfield where the CO explained what happened next.It was almost as if the makers of the film had realised they were running out of time or money and decided to omit a few scenes.
But all in all this is a convincing production that merits a highish ranking among war films (say in the second quartile).
Boring, obvious and slow - but Gregory Peck is very good
PaulusLoZebra6 November 2022
The Purple Plain is an overwrought psychological thriller about what we now call Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Gregory Peck's pilot is "saved" from his descent into madness by Bernard Lee's thoughtful and competent doctor, who gets him involved in the local community. A new romance gives him something to live for, and that will is tested on a harrowing trek back to safety through enemy lines and high desert. Naysayers cannot dissuade him, the enemy never spots them, nature cannot defeat him, and his perseverance wins the day against all odds. Gregory Peck's very fine performance is wasted in a film without subtlety or nuance.
Absolutly Thrilling!
horsegal2516 August 2002
Warning: Spoilers
Apart from Reach for the Sky, The Purple Plain is the best war film i've seen- particually as I thoroughly enjoy the British war films, and Lyndon Brook is my favourite actor!
A Canadian RAF pilot, Squadron Leader Forrester (Gregory Peck), flying Mosquito Fighter/Bombers in Burma, 1945 is flying with his new navigator, Carrington (Lyndon Brook), and his tent mate, Blore (Maurice Denham- presumably his previous navigator, or adjutant, one of the engines of the aeroplane catch fire, and they crash land in Jap territory. On jumping out, Carrington, gets badly burnt on his right leg, and is therefore flat on his back for the rest of the film. They have little water, and alot of pills...
Soon after crashing, Forrester & Blore rig up a stretcher for Carrington with a parachute harness & such, so that they can travel to the river, which will then be in their territory, but must get through tretchorous territory. I'm not sure how long after they started out with Carrington on the stretcher, but Blore then falls down a small cliff type thing, and breaks his collarbone. After getting some rest, Blore goes out to try and get more water for them to carry on. On the way, Blore, who is delerious with thirst and the heat (which is naturally intense in Burma) shoots himself.
Forrester & Carrington must carry on on their own- but now Forrester must carry Carrington- as he is still unable to walk. Sometime later, they get picked up, just in time, as Forrester finds himself delerious as well, but when he hears the river, which he managed to reach, after leaving Carrington lying down in the shade, they both get picked up by the RAF just in time! They both survive, which is great news!
The anticipation of this film, and the excitement had me shaking the whole time- which my brother wasn't to happy about- but I couldn't control it- its to good-a film!
I would deffinatly reccomend this film to anyone, particularly WWII aviation fans, WWII fans, people in need of inspiration- but for inspiration, your best bet is to watch Reach for the Sky- true story of Douglas Bader- the legless WWII fighter Pilot ace. Anyone will be rooted to their seats watching this film- it is one of those war brilliant British war films that grab you- unlike the stupid films of today, and alot of the Yankee films- full of swearing & such- of which NONE of the old British war films had! So, do go and seek this out if you haven't seen it- its a must!
A Canadian RAF pilot, Squadron Leader Forrester (Gregory Peck), flying Mosquito Fighter/Bombers in Burma, 1945 is flying with his new navigator, Carrington (Lyndon Brook), and his tent mate, Blore (Maurice Denham- presumably his previous navigator, or adjutant, one of the engines of the aeroplane catch fire, and they crash land in Jap territory. On jumping out, Carrington, gets badly burnt on his right leg, and is therefore flat on his back for the rest of the film. They have little water, and alot of pills...
Soon after crashing, Forrester & Blore rig up a stretcher for Carrington with a parachute harness & such, so that they can travel to the river, which will then be in their territory, but must get through tretchorous territory. I'm not sure how long after they started out with Carrington on the stretcher, but Blore then falls down a small cliff type thing, and breaks his collarbone. After getting some rest, Blore goes out to try and get more water for them to carry on. On the way, Blore, who is delerious with thirst and the heat (which is naturally intense in Burma) shoots himself.
Forrester & Carrington must carry on on their own- but now Forrester must carry Carrington- as he is still unable to walk. Sometime later, they get picked up, just in time, as Forrester finds himself delerious as well, but when he hears the river, which he managed to reach, after leaving Carrington lying down in the shade, they both get picked up by the RAF just in time! They both survive, which is great news!
The anticipation of this film, and the excitement had me shaking the whole time- which my brother wasn't to happy about- but I couldn't control it- its to good-a film!
I would deffinatly reccomend this film to anyone, particularly WWII aviation fans, WWII fans, people in need of inspiration- but for inspiration, your best bet is to watch Reach for the Sky- true story of Douglas Bader- the legless WWII fighter Pilot ace. Anyone will be rooted to their seats watching this film- it is one of those war brilliant British war films that grab you- unlike the stupid films of today, and alot of the Yankee films- full of swearing & such- of which NONE of the old British war films had! So, do go and seek this out if you haven't seen it- its a must!
Underrated Peck Piece - The Purple Plain
arthur_tafero24 August 2021
This poorly named film could have used a much better title, but apparently, the producers were more concerned with the content, which is very good. Even the Purple Plane would have been better. The one-time actress in the romantic lead is very good and believable and she is smoking hot. Peck is a bit over the top at times, but still gets the most out of this material. Not a lot of films about WW2 Burma are as engaging or as enlightening. Leave it to the British to combine romance and war in WW 2 with a nice touch.
Gregory Peck Does Unstable War Hero
iquine8 August 2022
A depressed man, after losing his wife in an air raid in WWII times, becomes highly irrational and takes lots of risks with his life and others yet keeps winning medals for bravery. During a basic flight with two men, the plane the man is piloting has an engine failure and crash lands in a desolate Japanese location. Will the two men trust his survival advice knowing his current state of mind? How will the men get back home base? This was an engaging story of arguably a character study of solder teetering on mentally instability. Another solid performance from Mr. Peck.
Character-based WW2 drama
Leofwine_draca21 January 2018
Warning: Spoilers
THE PURPLE PLAIN is a character-based WW2 drama set the wilds of Burma. It's based on a novel by H.E. Bates and was shot in Sri Lanka for extra authenticity. The film's ace is in the casting of Gregory Peck in the lead role; he handles a complex and in some ways ambiguous role very well indeed and gives the viewer a reason to watch. The film is in parts a romance and a survival epic, and with the true to life characters it remains readily watchable.
Deep Purple
sol-9 April 2016
Set in Burma during World War II, this curiously titled film follows the experiences of a Canadian bomber pilot with severe emotional and psychological issues. The film opens on a strong note with a violent air raid that turns out to be just a nightmarish delusion, and the film employs sound (especially accentuated audio as the protagonist tries to sleep) very well early on. Gregory Peck's lead performance is the film's best asset though; excessively sweating and visibly distressed throughout the whole first hour, Peck offers an excellent human anchor into this tale of overcoming wartime trauma. The second half of the movie is not quite as strong with Peck settling a down a bit too much and too easily after falling in love with a young local woman. Almost the entire second half of the movie also involves Peck finding safe passage from behind enemy lines after a plane crash, which is not quite as engaging to view with Peck's psychology forced to take a backseat to his quest to survive. Never to mind, the film still ends on a strong note and Peck has several good moments towards the end interacting and arguing with co-stars Maurice Denham and Lyndon Brook, who crashed with him. The film does a solid job dispersing flashbacks to Peck's past throughout too as we gradually learn just why he is so mentally scarred. As for the significance of the title though, it is anybody's guess.
THE most underrated movie of the 1950s!
ekeby4 July 2006
I've had this movie on my 10 Best List for many, many years.
This story of healing from loss through love is immensely powerful. It's exquisitely photographed; it looks much more art film than Hollywood. The direction is solid, and the pacing near perfect. Peck holds his own among a field of scene-stealing character actors. His performance gives us a clue as to what he was like on the stage. His good looks don't distract you; he's utterly convincing as a pilot who's lost the love of his life and no longer cares whether he lives or dies. In the first part of the movie his character is not a good guy, and it's believable. Hard to do when you look like Gregory Peck.
Love conquers all, of course. The story turns on his love for a woman. But, as the movie progresses, we find that he loves his crew too, even "old Blore." The young navigator worships him, and the admiration is returned full force. Their relationship is a key element of the story, as important as the romance between Peck and the Burmese girl.
This is one of those rare movies where men openly love each other--not in a gay sense--in a human sense. It's a love based on respect. This is something missing from almost all heterosexual movies. Probably because most men don't seem to be able to easily distinguish between sex, attraction, affection, and love. It all gets mixed up together, and homophobia damps down any positive emotions between men that isn't associated with some sport. Wartime seems to provoke these feelings too, evidently, but it's rare for a picture to show manly affection, except as a joke. It's just one aspect of this film, but one that shouldn't be overlooked.
I can only hope this movie gets rediscovered and recognized for the fine, fine film that it is.
This story of healing from loss through love is immensely powerful. It's exquisitely photographed; it looks much more art film than Hollywood. The direction is solid, and the pacing near perfect. Peck holds his own among a field of scene-stealing character actors. His performance gives us a clue as to what he was like on the stage. His good looks don't distract you; he's utterly convincing as a pilot who's lost the love of his life and no longer cares whether he lives or dies. In the first part of the movie his character is not a good guy, and it's believable. Hard to do when you look like Gregory Peck.
Love conquers all, of course. The story turns on his love for a woman. But, as the movie progresses, we find that he loves his crew too, even "old Blore." The young navigator worships him, and the admiration is returned full force. Their relationship is a key element of the story, as important as the romance between Peck and the Burmese girl.
This is one of those rare movies where men openly love each other--not in a gay sense--in a human sense. It's a love based on respect. This is something missing from almost all heterosexual movies. Probably because most men don't seem to be able to easily distinguish between sex, attraction, affection, and love. It all gets mixed up together, and homophobia damps down any positive emotions between men that isn't associated with some sport. Wartime seems to provoke these feelings too, evidently, but it's rare for a picture to show manly affection, except as a joke. It's just one aspect of this film, but one that shouldn't be overlooked.
I can only hope this movie gets rediscovered and recognized for the fine, fine film that it is.
The Purple Plain
CinemaSerf21 November 2022
This films features quite a strong performance from Gregory Peck as "Forrester", a Canadian air force officer serving in Burma. Reckless and thoughtless, he has managed to irritate just about everyone until "Dr. Harris" (Bernard Lee) decides to try to get to the bottom of his behaviour. It turns out that a combination of his recently deceased wife and his own wartime experiences have ground him down so "Harris" decides it is time to rehabilitate him and he meets the delightful "Anna" (Win Min Than). In case you think that's it; well not quite. He takes a plane up with "Blore" (Maurice Denham) and his new room-mate "Carrington" (Lyndon Brook) but that comes a cropper and the three must do their best to ge home - at times a perilous journey exacerbated by an injured "Carrington" and a pretty recalcitrant "Blore". Peck is good in fits and starts, here. At the beginning he offers an intense, almost maniacal, performance and once we end up on the journey after the crash, that behaviour focuses much more on leadership and survival and is different, but equally effective. Brenda de Banzie offers a bit of light relief as the stoic Scot "Miss McNab"; it moves along consistently with a minimum of waffly dialogue and some fine cinematography from a rather stunning Ceylon. All in all, I really quite enjoyed this.
Not the best war movie
HotToastyRag24 August 2017
Without Gregory Peck's wonderful acting—and handsomeness—The Purple Plain would be a pretty lousy movie. There's nothing particularly spectacular about the plot; it's a story of a shell-shocked pilot in WWII. There are a couple of tension-filled scenes where Greg and his fellow soldiers are up in their airplanes, but in general, the film felt like it didn't know what it wanted to be. Is it a romance, a war story, a survival adventure, or a racial lesson? There's a little of each element in the story, but not enough of the writing was invested to make any of them very believable. If you really love Gregory Peck, you can watch it, since he does do a very good job, putting extra nuances into his lines that other actors wouldn't. But if you're looking for a good war movie, this isn't it.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie is not your friend. Gregory Peck has a flashback, and the camera gets a little fuzzy and shaky, so be on the lookout. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie is not your friend. Gregory Peck has a flashback, and the camera gets a little fuzzy and shaky, so be on the lookout. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"
a movie for the true connoisseur
jacegaffney20 July 2010
Warning: Spoilers
There's hardly an actor of Hollywood's golden age - short of Jimmy Stewart - with more good will on his side than the glowingly decent, lethally handsome, stunningly stalwart Gregory Peck. Unfortunately, as I think this month's TCM bears out, the overpoweringly redoubtableness of his nature produced very few interesting movies. One striking exception however is the British produced THE PURPLE PLAIN of 1954. Here is the one Peck picture whose residual effect is different from all the others. The story adapted by Eric Ambler of an H.E. Bates novel is about a nerve-wracked, embittered, R.A.F. pilot reassigned to a Burmese mission in the war for reevaluation. During this time, he is restored somewhat to humanity through the good offices of a brilliant and good doctor (Bernard Lee), a spiritual lady (Brenda de Banzie) and most importantly, a lovely young Burmese nurse who works with the doctor at the hospital. Peck's character is called Forrester and the pivotal action of the movie is when he crashes a plane behind enemy Japanese lines. Two men are with him in the disaster. One is a dour medic named Blore (Maurice Denham) whom Forrester loses and another is a young navigator whom he bravely rescues along with himself. On the face of it all this conforms to the image of Peck the perfect. But just beneath the surface of the narrative resides the fairy tale of a man who loses his first love in an air raid in England (which he witnesses helplessly) and then has it restored to him through his meeting with the Burmese girl. Nothing could sound more corny but the treatment is anything but. The very last moments of THE PURPLE PLAIN are so perfectly judged, so uncannily rendered in their strangely erotic sense of deliverance that they take one's breath away. The "coming home" feeling of surrender at the end pulls one up short in a beautiful way that has to be experienced by the true lover of cinema - not laboriously described. With a haunting film score by John Veale, this is a most unusual production that deserves searching out. It doesn't deserve to be played at 3 in the morning but that's par for the course for pictures of this nature. It might be what contributes to their cult although THE PURPLE PLAIN isn't quite there yet as a cult item. It should be.
Absorbing, overlooked British Second World War film
tonypeacock-122 December 2022
Warning: Spoilers
There are so many films that cover the war genre especially the Second World War that sadly some decent productions get overlooked. The Purple Plain is yet another one of those, perhaps due to a lacklustre North American box-office on its 1954 release?
It faired better box-office wise in its native U. K. It has a decent budget for the time and was gloriously filmed in colour and filmed in Sri Lanka doubling as Burma where Canadian Air Force pilot Bill Forrester (Gregory Peck) is stationed battling the Japanese.
Now Forrester comes across to some of his colleagues and superiors as a bit of a 'going round the bend' case little knowing he is still deeply affected at losing his wife earlier in the war in a London air raid.
Whilst on a routine flight disaster looks like it may strike Forrester again just as he is finding a new romantic attachment to a Burmese local Anna (Win Min Than).
However he uses all of his military skills and mental strength to survive and save the life of his colleague on thr flight who is physically injured deep in enemy territory.
The film is really captivating, well written (adapted from a H. E. Bates novel) and has good production values. Well directed by Robert Parrish. Definitely worthy of a viewing and deserving of more awareness.
It faired better box-office wise in its native U. K. It has a decent budget for the time and was gloriously filmed in colour and filmed in Sri Lanka doubling as Burma where Canadian Air Force pilot Bill Forrester (Gregory Peck) is stationed battling the Japanese.
Now Forrester comes across to some of his colleagues and superiors as a bit of a 'going round the bend' case little knowing he is still deeply affected at losing his wife earlier in the war in a London air raid.
Whilst on a routine flight disaster looks like it may strike Forrester again just as he is finding a new romantic attachment to a Burmese local Anna (Win Min Than).
However he uses all of his military skills and mental strength to survive and save the life of his colleague on thr flight who is physically injured deep in enemy territory.
The film is really captivating, well written (adapted from a H. E. Bates novel) and has good production values. Well directed by Robert Parrish. Definitely worthy of a viewing and deserving of more awareness.
Transfiguration, Slow.
rmax30482326 June 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Peck is an emotionally unstable pilot in Burma. On his wedding night, his bride was killed in a Luftwaffe air raid in England and he's never recovered from the shock. Now, flying Mosquitoes over Japanese territory, he indulges in heroics designed to get himself killed. Survivor's guilt maybe. The problem is that his navigators occupy the same airplane and aren't in such a hurry to die. Peck so far hasn't succeeded either. "I keep trying to die and only win medals," he remarks.
He's an abrasive character and is about to be booted from his squadron when one of his engines catches fire and he manages to land his airplane in the middle of the jungle with two passengers, one of them wounded and unable to walk. It's an exhausting journey through the wilderness before he and his navigator are picked up. When he returns to the airfield, he visits the Burmese girl he's become attracted to, leans over her sleeping form, and collapses onto the bed.
I wish I could have gotten with the program here. There's nothing wrong with the acting. Peck is quite good in projecting a sort of buried tension. And no one can fault an actor like Bernard Miles, who is the sympathetic doctor. The Burmese love interest looks rather plain by the supernal standards of the major film companies but she has a sly and insinuating charm, and her voice is angelic. The location photography is crisp, evocative, and elegant. Special effects are of the period but effective enough.
If only the movie weren't so sluggish and pedestrian. The growing affection between Peck and the girl is understated. That's fine. But the struggle through the bush is handled by the numbers. There are no surprises. And virtually no action scenes. I hate to say this but if you're going to do a character study in the rain forest of Ceylon, why not put more effort into it? Of course, not every film along those lines needs to be "The Bridge On The River Kwai." That would be asking for the moon.
He's an abrasive character and is about to be booted from his squadron when one of his engines catches fire and he manages to land his airplane in the middle of the jungle with two passengers, one of them wounded and unable to walk. It's an exhausting journey through the wilderness before he and his navigator are picked up. When he returns to the airfield, he visits the Burmese girl he's become attracted to, leans over her sleeping form, and collapses onto the bed.
I wish I could have gotten with the program here. There's nothing wrong with the acting. Peck is quite good in projecting a sort of buried tension. And no one can fault an actor like Bernard Miles, who is the sympathetic doctor. The Burmese love interest looks rather plain by the supernal standards of the major film companies but she has a sly and insinuating charm, and her voice is angelic. The location photography is crisp, evocative, and elegant. Special effects are of the period but effective enough.
If only the movie weren't so sluggish and pedestrian. The growing affection between Peck and the girl is understated. That's fine. But the struggle through the bush is handled by the numbers. There are no surprises. And virtually no action scenes. I hate to say this but if you're going to do a character study in the rain forest of Ceylon, why not put more effort into it? Of course, not every film along those lines needs to be "The Bridge On The River Kwai." That would be asking for the moon.
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