The Password Is Courage (1962)

A British officer, captured by the Germans, tries everything he can to escape. In the process, amongst many other adventures he gets awarded the Iron Cross !! Based on a true story.

Director:

Andrew L. Stone

Writers:

Andrew L. Stone (screenplay), John Castle (based on the biography of Charles Coward by)

Stars:

Dirk Bogarde, Maria Perschy, Alfred Lynch

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dirk Bogarde	...	Sergant-Major Charles Coward
Maria Perschy	...	Irena
Alfred Lynch	...	Corporal Bill Pope
Nigel Stock	...	Cole
Reginald Beckwith	...	Unterofficer
Richard Marner	...	Schmidt
Ed Devereaux	...	Aussie
Lewis Fiander	...	Pringle
George Mikell	...	Necke
Richard Carpenter	...	Robinson
Bernard Archard	...	1st Prisoner of war
Ferdy Mayne	...	1st German officer at French farm
George Pravda	...	2nd German officer at French farm
Olaf Pooley	...	German Doctor
Michael Mellinger	...	Feldwebel

Storyline

A British officer, captured by the Germans, tries everything he can to escape. In the process, amongst many other adventures he gets awarded the Iron Cross !! Based on a true story.

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Plot Keywords:

british | escape | prison camp | sabotage | poland | 

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Taglines:

Der Fuehrer Made Two Mistakes-Starting a War...and Capturing Charlie!

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Genres:

War | Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English German

Release Date:

21 December 1962 (USA)

Also Known As:

Apodrasis tin avgi

Filming Locations:

Gateway Service Station, Scratchwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Andrew L. Stone Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.00 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

When Sergeant Major Coward is discussing linking up with the Polish Underground, he is told that the agent is an optician somewhere in Poland, in Breslau. Breslau was in fact a German city and did not become Polish until after WW2 when the boundaries of Poland were shifted westwards and the name changed to Wroclaw.

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Soundtracks

"Charmaine"
(uncredited)
Music by Erno Rapee
Lyrics by Lew Pollack

User Reviews

A different angle to The Great Escape story

Made one year earlier than The Great Escape, The Password is Courage uses the same story but viewed from a different perspective. The Great Escape revolved around a mass break out and all the different characters who helped in their own ways. The Password is Courage looks at it from one man's point of view, Sergeant Major Charles Coward, played perfectly by Dirk Bogarde. It is a much more light hearted view of his imprisonment in a POW camp and his efforts to escape and cause the Nazis as much trouble as possible (including the hilarious burning down of an entire lumber yard). It may not have the range of actors and characters of The Great Escape but for anyone who enjoyed that movie, should definitely see this as well. Even those people who find war movies boring should just give this film a try. 9/10