Rent The One That Got Away (1957)
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
"The One That Got Away" is the remarkable true story of the only German prisoner of war captured in Britain who managed to escape and successfully return to his homeland. Hardy Kruger - one of Germany's leading actors and himself a prisoner of war who escaped from the Americans on three occasions - stars as the charismatic Lieutenant Franz von Werra; a strong supporting cast includes Michael Goodliffe, Colin Gordon and Terence Alexander. With the Battle of Britain at its height, a German fighter pilot is shot down over England and taken into custody. Though confined to a POW camp, his captivity cannot deter him from the single aim of escaping back to his homeland. After several months, he sees his chance and takes it... - Actors:
- Hardy Krüger, Colin Gordon, Michael Goodliffe, Terence Alexander, Jack Gwillim, Andrew Faulds, Julian Somers, Alec McCowen, Harry Lockart, Robert Crewdson, George Mikell, George Roubicek, John Van Eyssen, Frederick Jaeger, Richard Marner, Paul Hansard, Gerald Anderson, Arthur Bentley, Victor Brooks, Adrian Cairns
- Directors:
- Roy Ward Baker
- Producers:
- Julian Wintle
- Writers:
- Howard Clewes, Kendal Burt, James Leasor
- Studio:
- Network
- Genres:
- Action & Adventure, Classics, Drama
- Collections:
- Drama Films & TV, Getting to Know..., Getting to Know: Kenneth More, WWII Films: Beaches, Oceans and Camps
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 02/03/2015
- Run Time:
- 111 minutes
- Languages:
- English Dolby Digital 1.0
- Subtitles:
- English
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 1.66:1
- Colour:
- B & W
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
- Bonus:
- Image Gallery
- Original Theatrical Trailer
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Reviews (1) of The One That Got Away
Alternate View. - The One That Got Away review by Steve
Out of all the war stories shot in the UK after 1945, this one stands apart because the hero is a German. It's a biopic of Franz von Werra, a Luftwaffe pilot who was gunned down over Kent during the Battle of Britain and became the only Nazi to escape from captivity. After many attempts, he finally got away while being transferred to a POW camp in Canada.
He claimed asylum in the neutral USA before making his own way back to Germany. The film overlooks his politics and mostly tells the events as a triumph of the spirit. Particularly in the final scenes as he drags himself across the frozen Canadian border to America. Hardy Krüger plays the flying ace with a blend of arrogance and single-minded courage.
Krüger manages to get us, if not actually on his side, at least amenable to his escape. So there is little friction; interrogation is so benign that it seems homeland security plans to keep the country safe with a mix of bureaucracy and self deprecating humour. Every time the prisoner breaks free he is thwarted by being given a form to fill in.
Von Werra isn't portrayed as a Good German, but the film does stress his audacity and resilience. Roy Ward Baker tells the story well, and keeps the narrative moving forward at pace in convincing locations with a good degree of realism. And there's a rare and interesting insight into British intelligence. Its a unique fifties British war film.