Complete credited cast: | |||
Leslie Howard | ... | Capt. Fred Allison | |
Douglas Fairbanks Jr. | ... | Lt. Jack 'Dig' Digby | |
Paul Lukas | ... | Col. Carl Ehrlich | |
Margaret Lindsay | ... | Monica A. Allison | |
Robert Barrat | ... | The Commandant | |
Arthur Hohl | ... | Cocky | |
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John Bleifer | ... | Strogin |
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William Le Maire | ... | Joe 'Tex' Martin (as William LeMaire) |
J. Carrol Naish | ... | Cpl. Guarand (as J. Carroll Naish) | |
Philip Faversham | ... | Lt. Haversham (as Phillip Faversham) | |
Frank Reicher | ... | Herr Hauptman - the Adjutant | |
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Joyce Coad | ... | Elsa - German Milkmaid |
Bert Sprotte | ... | Sergeant Major | |
Harry Cording | ... | First Orderly | |
Halliwell Hobbes | ... | British Major General (as Halliwell Hobbs) |
Captain Fred Allison has been in a German Prisoner of War Camp for a long time. It has been two years since he last saw Monica, a girl he met, married and bought a house with in six days before leaving for the front. It has also been a very long time since she had last wrote to him. A month after all the prisoners have been put into lock down after a failed prison break, two things change. One is that the camp gets a new commandant and the other is that Fred's oldest and dearest friend Digby shows up. While Fred is happy to see Digby, he says little about Monica, whom Fred speaks of constantly. Unable to tell Fred that Monica had fallen in love with him, Digby escapes back to his own lines. But because of a murder that occured during his escape, he may be facing the trial of his life and also the trial by Fred who found a letter that Monica wrote to Digby. Written by Tony Fontana <tony.fontana@spacebbs.com>
A somewhat far-fetched plot spoils what could have otherwise been an excellent movie with Leslie Howard and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. in the leading roles. Cast as prisoners in a German POW camp during World War I, Leslie Howard finds out that his wife of just six days has strayed during his two years of captivity -- with his best friend. The film has many of the themes that later POW moves will be known for -- the duty to escape vs. the duty to keep the men safe; how far the leader will go in "collaboration" with the camp commandant; duty and honor vs. personal desire; the juxtaposition of international law within the insanity of war. Paul Lukas as excellent as the commandant. The setting of World War I is interesting because it allows the portrayal of the officers as decent chaps that went to school together who now just happened to be trying to kill each other. The final flying sequence is authentic and worth the price of admission. Recommended.