While not as well-known, nor as highly regarded, as their other later works this is every bit as good as one would expect from the team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. It's fairly predictable, flag-waving stuff following the fortunes of six British airmen shot down over Holland as they try to make their way to the coast and back to England.
They are all well played by a stock company of British army types, though some of the 'Dutch' people they meet on the way, (Peter Ustinov, Robert Helpman, Googie Withers, Joyce Redman), leave something to be desired. The editor was David Lean and the photography was by Ronald Neame and they do a splendid job; it looks great and much of the airborne stuff has a documentary feel to it. It is also consistently tense and is actually better than the better known "49th Parallel".
They are all well played by a stock company of British army types, though some of the 'Dutch' people they meet on the way, (Peter Ustinov, Robert Helpman, Googie Withers, Joyce Redman), leave something to be desired. The editor was David Lean and the photography was by Ronald Neame and they do a splendid job; it looks great and much of the airborne stuff has a documentary feel to it. It is also consistently tense and is actually better than the better known "49th Parallel".