The One That Got Away (1957)

A cocky German flight officer is shot down over England and makes numerous attempts to escape to fight again.

Director:

Roy Ward Baker

Writers:

Howard Clewes (screenplay), Kendal Burt (book),

Stars:

Hardy Krüger, Colin Gordon, Michael Goodliffe

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Hardy Krüger	...	Franz Von Werra (as Hardy Kruger)
Colin Gordon	...	Army Interrogator
Michael Goodliffe	...	R.A.F. Interrogator
Terence Alexander	...	R.A.F. Intelligence Officer
Jack Gwillim	...	Commandant, Grizedale
Andrew Faulds	...	Lieutenant, Grizedale
Julian Somers	...	Booking Clerk
Alec McCowen	...	Duty Officer, Hucknall
Harry Lockart	...	German Prisoner
Robert Crewdson	...	German Prisoner
George Mikell	...	German Prisoner
George Roubicek	...	German Prisoner
John Van Eyssen	...	German Prisoner
Frederick Jaeger	...	German Prisoner
Richard Marner	...	German Prisoner

Storyline

This is the true story of Oberleutnant Franz von Werra, the only German prisoner of war to escape from imprisonment in Britain during the Second World War.

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Plot Keywords:

escape | german | dossier | prisoner of war | bravado | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | War

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 December 1957 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Einer kam durch

Filming Locations:

Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rank Organisation, The, Julian Wintle Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Hawker Hurricane that Von Werra tries to steal still flies as part of the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

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Goofs

Whilst being driven to Station HQ at Hucknall he passes two aircraft on the flight line. The first is a DHC-1 Chipmunk which first flew in 1949, nine years after the film is set and four years after the end of WW2.

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Quotes

Franz von Werra: Hello, RAF intelligence? Hello, RAF. I'm looking for the microphone hidden near the window of my room. This is Oberluetnant Von Werra calling the RAF, are you recieving me? Werra calling and testing.

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Crazy Credits

Closing Credits: Despite the efforts of the Canadian Government to obtain his return, and of the United States Authorities to hold him Von Werra crossed the border in to Mexico. Travelling by way of Peru, Bolivia, Brazil and Spain he reached Berlin on 18th April. 1941. On October 25th of the same year, while on patrol, his plane was seen to dive into the sea. NO trace of Von Werra was found.

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Connections

Featured in Von Werra (2002)

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Soundtracks

"Horch, was kommt von draußen rein"
(uncredited)
Traditional

User Reviews

I first saw this movie as a child

I first saw this movie as a child in my small local cinema. It had a profound effect on my (and my friends) attitude to the German people, (remember that this was only 12 years after the war) Our whole concept of Germans as 'nasty baddies' was turned on its head. It was probably the first step (I was six years old) in my realisation that things are not black or white. The scene with Hardy Kruger hiding from his pursuers behind a stone wall wearing flying boots is still etched in my mind more than forty years later