Publisher: CinemaSerf June 19, 2022
Messrs. Powell & Pressburger have assembled a really good cast here for this tale of a WWII bomber crew whose plane comes down in the Netherlands after a raid. Five out of the six land together, where they encounter some young Dutch children who lead them to their local school mistress. Initially suspicious of their new guests, the Dutch civilians soon determine to repatriate them - and to help find their missing colleague; despite the dangers from the ever present Nazis. There isn't really a standout performance here, it is - as would have been true at the time - a team effort with each performing to their strengths and succumbing to their weaknesses as their escape plans take more shape, putting everyone at risk. The emphasis here is more on the attitudes and courage of the Hollanders. They are proactive in getting these pilots home, they take risks and the direction of this film draws us into these dangers. Pamela Brown is super as the clever and devious "Els Meertens" who manages, deftly, to play a very dangerous game with the German soldiers as tries to get them, as she had before and will do again, to safety. There are a few lovely contributing performances from a very young Peter Ustinov as a rather stoic priest, Googie Withers and an entertaining Hay Petrie as the Burgomaster. It was made in the middle of the Second World war, so if course it has a certain propagandist element to it. That isn't too blatant, though. There is some humour, a genuine sense of camaraderie and by the conclusion, you cannot fail to think that God must be on the side of the British.