Reviews & Ratings for
The Password Is Courage More at IMDbPro »

Page 1 of 3:

[1] [2] [3]

18 out of 19 people found the following review useful:
Holds Up VERY WELL to The Great Escape, 22 May 2005

Author: Ralph from Florida

Updated review: I just read the book by the same name. The film tells about 40% of the book, and differ's significantly with Mr. Cowards escape. I originally rated this film an 8 of 10 but after reading the book I'm downgrading it to a 6. Coward was sent to a camp near Auschwitz and almost half the book deals with his time there. He discovered there was a British Officer of Jewish blood who was put in the death camp, and Coward managed to swap places with a Jew inside Auschwitz to try to rescue this British POW from certain death! If you can imagine the courage that feat alone took you get the idea of a man who lived as if he had nothing to lose, almost inviting death to take him throughout his 7 escapes (yes 7 times he crossed the "wire"). The film on reflection is quite shallow in it's telling of Mr. Cowards story. Because of his night inside Auschwitz, he was later to become a key witness in repatriation trials against the German firms that used slave labor. Perhaps because of the time this film was made (early 60's) with the cold war in it's full intensity, and the West embracing our now West German ally; and the fact that Mr. Cowards tale of Auschwitz may have be well known with the press coverage of trials he was a witness in, the film took a lightharded look at the book. On it's own it is an entertaining film to watch, but now in balance after reading the book (which itself wasn't the best written, but just the incredible story itself is riveting), it's a shame that a more wasn't put into the film than the "Hogans Heroes" treatment this film got. I really hope they remake this film and have the whole story inside, about the time Coward killed his oppressive Guard with an overdose, about the Polish Underground Army and the TNT that was smuggled into Auschwitz to blow up the incinerators and factory by the Jews, about the hooker that Coward tried to pay for to seek shelter for the night but instead took him to the police, about the time Coward stumbled into a V1 research plant and how he got that info to the British at home, I mean NONE of that is in the film and it's just an incredible story. Following is my original review before reading the book: I have seen the Great Escape at least a half dozen times, and its a "Guy Movie" Icon. I even watched it one time on TNT, and it was like over 3 hours long with the commercials, just to see Steve Mcqueen jump the barb wire (wanted to see if I could tell when the stuntman was in I guess). Anyway I watch it that long and they actually cut that scene out! Boy was I p.o.'d, but it shows you how I loved that movie. I just watch "Password is Courage" and it was a real treat! I found it a very entertaining movie and I loved seeing Bogarde, he was awesome. I did laugh out loud a couple of times at this and it had to be a partial inspiration for the TV show "Hogans Heroes". Some of these reviewers, to me, don't seem to realize that Great Escape and this movie are both based on the same "true" event so that's why they are both similar, LOL! It isn't that one or the other is a copy! Also, the character of SGT Major Coward is a REAL person! He is listed right there on the opening credits as a technical adviser! I did a very limited amount of research after watching this movie because if HALF of this movie is actually true, Mr Coward has some real big brass ones! What did I find out in just 5 minutes of a Google search? Mr Coward saved 400-800 Jews from death at Auschwitz! I just ordered the book by the same name to read more about a truly brave and blessed man, Charles Coward. And to the people that find the prisoners having a good attitude hard to swallow, thats one reason why escapes were organized and are still taught to the US military; so you don't grow into despair! Plus since Mr. Coward himself was technical adviser I'm gonna take his word that most of this actually happened. See it, and than you'll probably want to know more about this man's story!

12 out of 12 people found the following review useful:
Would like to see it again, 14 March 2005

Author: from Canada

I saw the movie back in the early '60s and really enjoyed it. I thought, when Hogan's Heros came out that they had based the series on this movie. I really didn't even think of TGE. It is great entertainment and good for some laughs and clean fun. A rare thing these days in movies. The fact that it was based on a true story makes it even better as far as I am concerned. One of the other reviewers says, the film isn't quite sure whether it should be serious or not. Perhaps it is supposed to be both. The fact that it tells a true story is great and that some fun could be had in the midst of all the war surely helped pass the time and elevate the spirits of the prisoners. One of the other reviewers noted that "The village scenes are quite obviously filmed in England" with little attempt to disguise any telltale signs. Probably very true - I go to the cinema to be entertained not to be critical of the movie. As a non-Brit I wouldn't be able to know about the carriages etc so it would not affect my appreciation of the film as it did his. Since it was such a long time ago I would very much like to view the film again. If any one knows where I can get a copy of it please let me know. Thanks. kansaskat33@yahoo.com

10 out of 11 people found the following review useful:
Another excellent British war movie., 7 February 2007

Author: The_Ringo_Kid from United States

The Password is Courage is another one of those "prisoner of war escape movies" but is not ""Just"" a typical pow escape movie. This movie in particular is one of my all-time favorite movies of this type. Dirk Bogarde portrays a real-life personality in the name of Sergeant Major Coward. I think that Bogardes acting in this film was most excellent and is one reason why this film must be remembered and brought back into mainstream movie watching.

This film though is a serious film, also has many comical moments in it as well. One moment I really liked was when the Allied POWs managed to sabotage two German trains by switching their delivery signs around as well as sabotaging parts on the trains to make sure the trains wrecked. Another comical moment is when their camp was almost burnt down to the ground when they made sure a careless German Unteroffizier, who had a routine when he smoked his pipe, that the allied prisoners quickly caught onto and set up an elaborate plan. The plan was that they switched the sand in the Fire-buckets with Petrol--un-beknownst by the German guards.

On a particular windy day, the German NCO was careless a usual, by throwing his match into a pile of wood--which immediately started a fire. The POWs then threw the contents of the buckets onto the fire--making it rapidly spread. In short, they almost completed in burning down that camp.

This movie was so well made that it really needs to be released in DVD so that we all can enjoy watching it over and over again.

10 out of 12 people found the following review useful:
A different angle to The Great Escape story, 6 June 2000

Author: Silvrman from London, England

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

6 out of 7 people found the following review useful:
Stalag VIII, 29 March 2005

Author: jotix100 from New York

This rarely seen film was presented on cable recently. In a way, this is a story that has been done before. The best thing about it is how well the copy that was shown has been kept. The black and white photography of David Boulton still looks fresh. Andrew L. Stone adapted the material as well as directed it.

Most comments seem to be divided as to this version being a carbon copy of "The Great Escape", or "Hogan Heroes", in a way, it kept reminding us of "Stalag 17", which was the basis for the television series. While the movie is not up to the above mentioned models, it shows a more realistic approach to the insanity of war and the humor the British prisoners brought to their predicament.

One thing comes clear, Dirk Bogarde was brilliant in his portrayal of Sgt. Maj. Charles Coward, a man that played a game of cat and mouse with his Nazi captors. Coward seemed to know how to escape from the Germans, only to end up being taken prisoner again, and again. He even finds love with a partisan girl during the time of war!

The film was obviously shot is England. Evidently, this was a low budget effort, and it shows. Had it been a Hollywood production, it would have been blown out of proportion, but what we really enjoy from "The Password is Courage" is the bonding one watches among all the prisoners.

3 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
Predates Great Escape and much better film, 15 July 2006

Author: raypdaley182 from Coventry

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

I've seen this film a lot. So much in fact, I've lost count. I always confuse it with "The Foreman Goes To France" because of the very similar type of endings that they both have.

Dirk Bogarde is our hero, a British Army Sergeant-Major (who as an enlisted man later goes on to give his word as an Officer, slight mistake there). He's a prisoner of war and by the sounds of it he's been escaping from lots of places hence him being in a rather unpleasant camp as the film starts.

Him and his best pal are constantly trying to escape or wind up The Goons. Most of the escapes get scuppered but they are often successful at upsetting the Germans and hindering them.

They are digging a tunnel and disposing of the dirt in a storyline that was directly stolen by the film The Great Escape. Perhaps they were using the same techniques in a different camp. When pushed in tight situations people will come up with the same ideas in different places.

Dirk is moved by The Germans to a lumber camp on a work detail to command some "lazy" troops. But The Germans have sent Dirk and his best pal into a trap to be killed by people who think they are spies, traitors or 5th columnists. Dirk fights his way through and defuses the situation bringing the so called "lazy" troops over to his way of thinking, to upset and confound The Germans.

They manage to burn down the lumber camp and get sent to a train yard. At the train yard they sabotage trains, sending them to the wrong places.

Finally Dirk makes contact with The Polish underground who give them maps and assistance to escape. Oh, and the password was actually "Cleaning Cloths", not Courage.

They are sent back to their original camp and escape through a tunnel that was dug too short (again, another idea that The Great Escape stole from them). An old soldier with an accordion pretends to be drunk and saves a whole hut full of escaping men from being discovered.

After a poor attempt at buying train tickets, making a fellow train passenger suspect them, they are caught by a badly forged travel document with a logo facing the wrong way.

Dirk and his best pal finally escape posing as workers repairing bombed buildings who are finally met by retreating American soldiers telling them they are only a mile away from the Allied lines, but there are thousands of Germans in their way.

Of course they steal a Fire Engine and The Germans stand aside to let them through and finally on the road to freedom.

A good ending and an excellent film.

3 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
I enjoyed it! A great light-movie to watch., 5 July 2006

Author: Boba_Fett1138 from Groningen, The Netherlands

Of course this movie is being often compared to "The Great Escape". The similarities between the story lines are striking and some of the sequences are almost exactly the same. Only keep in mind that this movie was actually released a year before the great escape and this movie its story is based on the real events as lived by Charles Coward, who also served as a consultant for this movie, while "The Great Escape" is based on a totally other true story.

The movie is not an heavy confronting WW II POW movie. Instead its more of a comedy at times with almost slapstick like events and characters. It does make the movie a bit unbalanced and silly to watch but for me it also made the movie very light and easy. I'm not really sure though what for a movie this was supposed to be; A comedy or a drama. It's too incoherent and unbalanced to really say.

The movie is obviously low-budget but they used some creative solutions to hide this, in the movie.

The main character is really fascinating. He is being played by Dirk Bogarde, who of course is always a pleasure to see as the main lead, regardless of the role he plays. The rest of the characters are a bit muddled in and simply not interesting enough. The movie also changes often of setting with as a result that new characters get introduced and old ones abandoned.

All in all its not a terribly memorable movie and certainly no classic. The movie is too incoherent for that and the most of the character too uninteresting. Nevertheless this is a great movie to kill some time with. Nothing heavy, just some good old fashioned light-entertainment, with some good moments. Worth seeing if you get the chance.

7/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

3 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
Poor Man's Great Escape, 4 June 2000

Author: Steve M

Based on a true life autobiography of a British serviceman. This film relates the tale of his relentless campaign to cause as much bother as possible while residing in a WWII POW camp.

A Good story but lacks the script, budget and catchy theme tune of the still marvellous "Great Escape".

4 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
A good war movie, 23 October 2004
Author: hbc1949

A poor man's "Great Escape", perhaps, but done in 1962 (a year before Steve and the gang) and the similarities are wild! The dirt disposal in the recreation yard; coming up 40 feet short of the woods as they tunnel; the capture at the train station......just who was doing the copying? Great Escape was big budget with great music. "Password" is lower in key but very entertaining...and both were based on real events and people. Plus....Bogarde's character lived, unlike "X" in Great Escape.

5 out of 7 people found the following review useful:
What a great movie should be., 5 March 2003

Author: nfaller from Hancock, Michigan

This film was made without a Hollywood plot and mega stars. The story is one of personal courage and one man`s refusal to ignore war crimes. Charley Coward was a true hero he never gave up . This movie is one of breed of true stories without glamour

Page 1 of 3:

[1] [2] [3]

Add another review

Related Links