The One That Got Away (1957)

Director:

Roy Ward Baker

Writers:

Kendal Burt (book)
Howard Clewes (screenplay)

Release Date:

2 December 1957 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama | War

Plot:

This is the true story of Oberleutnant Franz von Werra, the only German prisoner of war taken in Britain...

Plot Keywords:

Escape | German | Prisoner Of War | WWII | Based On Book

Cast

Hardy Krüger	...	Franz von Werra
Michael Goodliffe	...	RAF Interrogator
Colin Gordon	...	Army Interrogator
Alec McCowen	...	Duty Officer, Hucknall
Terence Alexander	...	RAF Intelligence Officer
Jack Gwillim	...	Commandant, Grizedale
Andrew Faulds	...	Lieutenant, Grizedale
Julian Somers	...	Booking Clerk
Harry Lockart	...	German Prisoner
Robert Crewdson	...	German Prisoner
George Mikell	...	German Prisoner
George Roubicek	...	German Prisoner
John Van Eyssen	...	German Prisoner
Frederick Jaeger	...	German Prisoner
Richard Marner	...	German Prisoner

Runtime:

106 min | UK:111 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:U | Finland:K-12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Lake District, Cumbria, England, UK

Company:

Julian Wintle Productions

Trivia:

The German version is titled "Einer kam durch" which roughly translates as "One Came Through".

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Von Werra ducks beside the ice-covered road to avoid a car, the car is an early '50's Chrysler product, even though the story is set in the winter of 1940-41.

Quotes:

Franz von Werra: Hello, RAF intelligence? Hello, RAF. I'm looking for the microphone hidden near the window of my room. This is Oberluetnant Von Werra calling the RAF, are you recieving me? Werra calling and testing.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Question of Faith (2006) (V)

Anecdotal

I'm somewhat biased about this film - which really is a great piece of story telling - because my Dad was in it! He was doing his National Service at the time the film was made, and the Army provided squaddies as extras in the search scenes.

When Von Werra is captured in a boggy patch my Dad is the corporal who provides a spare poncho to keep the German officer warm. He even has a line... "Yes, I've got one Sir." or something to that effect. Last time the film was shown in the U.K. his speech was rather badly edited out, much to the dismay of his loyal following.

I think the film works really well at putting you on the side of the captive, so that even watching from a partisan British perspective it is hard not to want him to succeed in outwitting his gaolers.

The only flaw for me is the slightly romanticised crossing of The St. Lawrence. By this stage the director is going for such a sympathetic depiction of Von Werra that he seems almost childlike. I think Von Werra was a sufficiently capable media manipulator for his version of events to have percolated down into the film. He wanted to be seen as a romantic, chivalrous hero but maybe he was tougher and more ruthless than he would have us believe?

Overall a great story, based on real events and characters, with some wonderful film making. Watch it, and watch out for my Dad!