This is an unusual film in many respects. It features splendid music by Vaughan-Williams, and in order to let the sections of music finish on the soundtrack rather than cut it off, we are often treated to extended montage sequences of the magnificence of the wild scenery of Canada, where the film is entirely set. (The 49th parallel is the border between Canada and the United States. In the USA, this film was released under the title 'The Invaders'.) The cinematographer was Freddie Young, whose work with the Indian tepee lighting effects shows his early promise with creative use of light. Camera operator was Skeets Kelly. Together, they did one bold 'avante garde' shot from a small boat as it rams ashore from a lake. This was very quickly cut away from, perhaps even too quickly, by the restless pace imposed by the editor, David Lean, who was soon to become a famous director. Numerous already famous people collaborated on this early wartime propaganda effort, which manages to be relatively light on propaganda and heavy on story. And a good story it is too, written and conceived by Romanian emigree Emeric Pressburger, for which he won a well-deserved Oscar. The film was ably directed by the always talented Michael Powell. The one stand-out bad performance is by Laurence Olivier, who wrongly imagined that he could play a French-Canadian outdoorsman. Despite showing his chest and acting hearty, he fails pathetically to pull this off, and his mechanical mouthing of the accent is far too laboured. He was so often his own worst enemy, by calculating rather than feeling his characters. The opposite is true of the delightful Lesley Howard, who creates a wonderful, eccentric and whimsical character of a vacationing scholar who is on the verge of becoming a Scarlet Pimpernel at any moment (he had made 'Pimpernel Smith' earlier the same year.). Niall MacGinnis is superb as a pathetically regretful Nazi who just wants to go back to being a baker and living a quiet life. Anton Walbrook is magnificent in his intensity as the leader of a pacifist religious sect, and he gets to deliver the best speech in the film. But the finest acting of all is by Eric Portman, who is absolutely terrifying as a fanatical Nazi blind to all reason. Glynis Johns makes an appearance as a fey young girl with a quavery voice, who gets a jibe in at the Nazis by overcoming her innate timidity. This was a very clever propaganda film, because its messages were deeply embedded in an ingenious story line. That story line is innovative and highly dramatic. A German submarine surfaces in Hudson Bay on the Atlantic Coast of Canada, during the period before America was in the War, but Canada, as a British colony, was already a combatant. Six men led by a lieutenant (played by Portman) go ashore in search of food and water supplies, but before they can go far, their submarine is sunk by aerial bombardment, leaving the six men stranded. The Canadian authorities are unaware that these six Nazi seamen are on the loose. The story then becomes the incredible odyssey of their journey across Canada, and the havoc they cause, as they try without food, water, or money to reach Vancouver on the Pacific Coast and take a ship to Japan. Naturally, lots of people get in their way and are killed. This whole project is very well pulled-off indeed, and makes exciting viewing even today.
98 Reviews
"The only undefended frontier in the world"
ackstasis6 February 2009
You'd be tempted to think that there's no way '49th Parallel (1941)' could have turned out anything less than excellent. Not only do Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger perform their famous double-act, but there's also the equally-enviable partnership of David Lean (here working as editor) and cinematographer Freddie Young. But we must remember that in the realm of WWII propaganda there lie dangerous waters, and only the most talented filmmakers (so far, I count Hitchcock, Wilder, Renoir, Curtiz and Reed) can navigate their war-themed picture towards any degree of lasting respectability. We can certainly add Michael Powell to that list of famous names. '49th Parallel' is different from most of its contemporaries because it presents the film solely from the German point-of-view. The portrayal is not favourable, of course, and at least their commander reeks of pure evil, but the German characters are nonetheless humanised to no small extent. These aren't cold, immoral monsters, but ordinary people, swept up in euphoric Nazi ideology and pining for the simpler life they can barely remember.
When a German submarine is destroyed in Hudson Bay, Canada, the surviving Nazi soldiers led by the fiercely patriotic Kommandant Bernsdorff (Richard George) must navigate their way across the country into the then-neutral United States of America. The native citizens they meet along the way are largely jovial and laid-back, many hardly aware of the war raging across the Atlantic, and the Germans haughtily deem them foes unworthy of the Fuhrer's might. But these Canadians, as placid as they first seem, can surely recognise fascism when they see it, and each of the soldiers is picked off one by one, like the characters from a war-themed version of Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None." Among the unwitting local patriots is French-Canadian trapper Laurence Olivier a caricature but an entertaining one anthropologist/author Leslie Howard, and grinning deserter Raymond Massey, each of whom shows the Nazis that they're dealing with an enemy whose sheer spirit overshadows all of Hitler's armies combined.
The film was apparently intended as a tribute to Canada's involvement in the war, and perhaps as was Hitchcock's 'Foreign Correspondent (1940)' a call-to-arms for the then-isolationist United States, who would hold back until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour in December 1941. Many of the film's characters remark upon the sheer remoteness of the war relative to their own lives, unaware that it is actually standing before them; this idea was almost certainly aimed at American audiences. After the brilliantly suspenseful first act at Hudson Bay, I initially felt that the film was going off track by continuing to follow the Germans after their aerial departure from the remote village. However, as time wore on, I began to appreciate what the film was aiming for. Though the snow-swept slopes around Hudson Bay may seem leagues away from the Canadian/American border, Kommandant Bernsdorff and his ever-dwindling band gradually progress their way south, until, not only does he reach the border, but he physically crosses into the United States. The War had never been closer.
When a German submarine is destroyed in Hudson Bay, Canada, the surviving Nazi soldiers led by the fiercely patriotic Kommandant Bernsdorff (Richard George) must navigate their way across the country into the then-neutral United States of America. The native citizens they meet along the way are largely jovial and laid-back, many hardly aware of the war raging across the Atlantic, and the Germans haughtily deem them foes unworthy of the Fuhrer's might. But these Canadians, as placid as they first seem, can surely recognise fascism when they see it, and each of the soldiers is picked off one by one, like the characters from a war-themed version of Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None." Among the unwitting local patriots is French-Canadian trapper Laurence Olivier a caricature but an entertaining one anthropologist/author Leslie Howard, and grinning deserter Raymond Massey, each of whom shows the Nazis that they're dealing with an enemy whose sheer spirit overshadows all of Hitler's armies combined.
The film was apparently intended as a tribute to Canada's involvement in the war, and perhaps as was Hitchcock's 'Foreign Correspondent (1940)' a call-to-arms for the then-isolationist United States, who would hold back until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour in December 1941. Many of the film's characters remark upon the sheer remoteness of the war relative to their own lives, unaware that it is actually standing before them; this idea was almost certainly aimed at American audiences. After the brilliantly suspenseful first act at Hudson Bay, I initially felt that the film was going off track by continuing to follow the Germans after their aerial departure from the remote village. However, as time wore on, I began to appreciate what the film was aiming for. Though the snow-swept slopes around Hudson Bay may seem leagues away from the Canadian/American border, Kommandant Bernsdorff and his ever-dwindling band gradually progress their way south, until, not only does he reach the border, but he physically crosses into the United States. The War had never been closer.
Absorbing Adventure
kenjha14 December 2007
Released a couple of months before the bombing at Pearl Harbor, this is a propaganda film aimed at rallying the world against the Nazi threat. After a disjointed start, it slowly gathers momentum and ultimately proves to be a satisfying adventure about a group of stranded Nazi soldiers surreptitiously trying to make its way across Canada. Although Howard, Olivier, and Massey get top billing, they have small roles. Olivier is a hoot as a French Canadian. Interestingly, Vaughan Williams gets above the title billing for his fine score, although it is underused. Powell, working from a script by partner Pressburger, tells the story in a stark, documentary style.
The score of this film should not be left out of any appreciation...
gabivadnai14 July 2001
I should only like to add to the already comprehensive, very well observed and intelligent review of this film on the previous pages, namely, that the film score by the great Ralph Vaughan Williams should not be left out of any discussion of the picture. As the film starts with the magnificent mountain scenery and Eric Portman's fantastic introductory speech ("shook hands on it and kept it ever since...", "the 49th parallel, the only undefended border in the world...") you seem to be immediately transported into the spirit and persuasion of this exercise in trying to convince all Americans, not just Canadians, that they should join the fight, their place is with all the others, Europeans, British, French, all peoples under the Nazi yoke.
" Your leader is hell bent on wrapping the world in Barbed Wire? "
thinker169128 April 2014
Emeric Pressburger wrote the book which inspired this movie called " 49th Parallel " or 'The Invaders' and which was later directed by Michael Powell, neither could have dreamed, such a small movie could have ever garnered such world wide attention. From it's inception to the finished scene, one is impressed by the remarkable journey of the main characters and their trek through the rugged Canadian wilderness. That journey begins when a German U-Boat surfaces in the waters of Canada. Stopping for supplies, the Submarine is suddenly attacked by the Canadaian military and within minutes is sunk. Only a handful of men escape and they proceed to the interior of the country where they hope to be rescued by German compatriots. all the while they kidnapped, maim and murder anyone who confronts their Nazi Philosophy. Throughout the rest of the movie the Germans which include their leader try to blend in wherever they travel weather it be through religious settlements or high mountain campsites. For American audiences, it's disturbing to visually search for the international actors like Laurence Olivier, Leslie Howard and Raymond Massey scattered throughout the film. Still, it's worth it as they do so well at keeping our interest glued to the screen. It's also noteworthy to learn the film and it's author as well as the director secured a multitude of awards. Therefore, the movie is easily recommended to any and all seeking entertainment. ****
Extraordinary achievement
drrap21 May 2010
Yes, it is (was) propaganda. But never has there been a more curiously right and true epitome of the sloppy yet resilient defense of transcontinental democracy than this. Canada wins because Canada is a mess; the Nazi neatness and demand for clear-cut lines falters, and in the end is clobbered with a roundhouse right. So long as I live, I will love this film; it's P&P at their best, and the Vaughan WIlliams score is second to none. What else can one say? I wish I were Canadian.
And since the IMDb, to which I contributed long before it became such a commercial concern, insists that I have at least 10 lines of text, I will keep on jabbering for a few more lines, in order to preserve the above comments for posteriority ...
And since the IMDb, to which I contributed long before it became such a commercial concern, insists that I have at least 10 lines of text, I will keep on jabbering for a few more lines, in order to preserve the above comments for posteriority ...
Engrossing Film on WW2 - 49th Parallel
arthur_tafero4 April 2022
When I first saw the title of this movie, I thought it was about the Korean War. But then I realized it was 1941, and well before the troubles in Korea. The story of this film is interesting because it was seldom done (except for One That Got Away). Canadian WW 2 films on Canadian soil were seldom examined. The cinematography is outstanding, but that should be no surprise as Michael Powell was renowned for his talents. It is interesting to note the attitudes of the times, but a little American propaganda was sprinkled in for good measure. Not too bad a show.
This is for Thomas Mann, Matisse and Picasso
jromanbaker8 June 2020
The above words are said in this brilliant film, and it sums the film up for me. They come just after the burning of a couple of paintings and ' The Magic Mountain ' in of all places a Canadian wilderness. I will give no other spoilers, because this film transcends propaganda, and when the plot of the film is described it sounds like a typical WW2 story. It is not. It shows a group of rotten people crossing a civilized landscape ( maybe to some idealized ) who learn nothing from the experience. Only one does, but is ruthlessly killed by the others with him. The said others have been made rotten by an ideology that still lives today and still threatens us, shifting from one country to many other countries in the current world we live in. Beautifully filmed with sequences that take one's breath away and images that burn into the mind I consider this film to be one of the best ever made. Powell and Pressburger made a number of fine films, but this excels probably with their ' A Canterbury Tale '. As I was watching I thought of the two sources of all our artistic heritage; Homer's ' The Iliad ' and ' The Odyssey '. Both of the above mentioned films draw upon the latter book in their search for meaning and transformation.
As for the acting I have a few doubts, but none can subtract from the 10 I give the film. Lawrence Olivier is frankly terrible imitating a French Canadian and Eric Portman lacks nuances in his performance and too heavily emphasis the ' evil ' in his character. Who stands out most as giving the greatest speech is Anton Walbrook and for those who have not seen the film watch out for the part of the film he is in. It is everything that tolerance and goodness should be and his delivery of words and his presence in the film glowed like a beacon in the darkness. I am ashamed I have not seen this film before.
Hitler's Mein Kampf shattered when held up to the light of democracy
SarahKelly22 February 2005
A brilliantly written "propaganda" movie designed to explain to Americans why they should join the Canadians in the second world war. Six German officers are stranded on Canadian soil after their sub is sunk in the Hudson Bay. As they travel across Canada trying to make their way to neutral US territory, they interact with a wide variety of people, many of whom fled Europe during the first world war and paid dearly for their freedom. The flaws in Hitler's dream are subtly yet brilliantly brought to light each time the Germans cross paths with the Canadian inhabitants who are coerced into or freely offer their hospitality. One by one, the Nazi's blind hatred of everything free people hold dear is established and shattered by the guileless Canadians. I think this film is an excellent vehicle to help kids understand what the Nazi's believed and why it threatened the entire world.
The best of all propaganda films.
Spleen1 July 1999
Unless you believe George Orwell's claim that all art is propaganda; which, with all due respect to one of the twentieth century's finest minds, is poppycock. The propaganda film is a special kind of film, usually unbearable garbage. This one is an exception.
A German U-boat is sunk just off the coast of Canada and the surviving crew must make it through hostile enemy country to the neutral United States. After a short while their plight becomes known and the whole world is watching to see which nation, Canada or Germany, can manage to win the metaphorical battle.
The most interesting thing - considering the movie as propaganda - is that Powell's intended audience was the United States: he wanted to get that country involved in the war, or at least get the people of that country to support the war. Realise this and you realise how remarkably subtle the film is. Not once is Powell's goal explicitly stated or even alluded to; and even the underlying message (the USA *is* involved in the war, whether it wants to admit it or not) requires some thought to work out. Yet it's an integral part of the story. More explicit is the democracy vs. dictatorship theme, which is hammered home a number of different ways, not all of them obvious. (This theme is handled a bit too obviously now and then, I'll admit.)
Another interesting fact is that the hero of the story is either democracy, or Canada, or the Western Allies, or some such - no one person plays the role. The central characters are the Germans. In fact they're all quite likable (except for the doctrinaire Nazi, of course). Powell bends over backwards to inhibit anti-German sentiment. Despite all this we are not once on the Germans' side. We want them to be captured so long as they continue to serve an evil regime.
It's also a beautifully shot travelogue of Canada. And Ralph Vaughan Williams's score is lovely. He was seventy or so when he wrote it; he'd never written for the cinema before; he had his own ideas about what film music should be like.
A German U-boat is sunk just off the coast of Canada and the surviving crew must make it through hostile enemy country to the neutral United States. After a short while their plight becomes known and the whole world is watching to see which nation, Canada or Germany, can manage to win the metaphorical battle.
The most interesting thing - considering the movie as propaganda - is that Powell's intended audience was the United States: he wanted to get that country involved in the war, or at least get the people of that country to support the war. Realise this and you realise how remarkably subtle the film is. Not once is Powell's goal explicitly stated or even alluded to; and even the underlying message (the USA *is* involved in the war, whether it wants to admit it or not) requires some thought to work out. Yet it's an integral part of the story. More explicit is the democracy vs. dictatorship theme, which is hammered home a number of different ways, not all of them obvious. (This theme is handled a bit too obviously now and then, I'll admit.)
Another interesting fact is that the hero of the story is either democracy, or Canada, or the Western Allies, or some such - no one person plays the role. The central characters are the Germans. In fact they're all quite likable (except for the doctrinaire Nazi, of course). Powell bends over backwards to inhibit anti-German sentiment. Despite all this we are not once on the Germans' side. We want them to be captured so long as they continue to serve an evil regime.
It's also a beautifully shot travelogue of Canada. And Ralph Vaughan Williams's score is lovely. He was seventy or so when he wrote it; he'd never written for the cinema before; he had his own ideas about what film music should be like.
Pretty good WWII propaganda film suffers, somewhat, from being a bit too long
planktonrules22 November 2006
This was a good WWII propaganda film, but it has an awful lot of deficiencies along with all its good plot elements. First, let's talk about the good. The film has a very good cast. All the Germans who are running across the width and breadth of Canada are well-written and the acting is excellent. Also, there are bit performances by some exceptional actors you just wouldn't expect in small parts--they were or would be stars in their own right or already were. Laurence Olivier did a surprisingly good job playing a French-Canadian outdoorsman--not the sort of role you'd expect for the usually delicate actor. Then one of my favorite international actors, Anton Walbrook has a small part as a leader of a religious commune. At this commune, Glynis Johns plays a radiant young lady. Later, Leslie Howard and Raymond Massey (both well-established stars in 1941) appear in small but meaty parts as well. These actors and the dialog are all excellent. In particular, I enjoyed the ending--it was pretty funny and entertaining.
Now as for the bad, the whole plot idea is pretty stupid if you think about it. A sub drops off six guys in the middle of nowhere in the frozen northeast portion of Canada to attack a worthless target. I really can't understand why this target was chosen--maybe they wanted to steal all the whale blubber and beaver pelts. Then, after making this attack (and losing a submarine in the process--wow, that's an even exchange, huh?), the six remaining Nazis trek all the way to the West coast of Canada and then back east to Niagra Falls. This trip is thousands of miles and much of it is through frozen wasteland with few supplies but they manage just fine!!! This is all just a contrived idea in order to take the audience on a travelogue to learn that ALL the good people of Canada are solidly anti-Nazi! After all, the premise just doesn't make any common sense. On top of this, the film just seemed to go on and on. I really think having the Nazis confine themselves to just a few 100,000 square miles and fewer interactions with the locals would have made this a better film. Instead, they jaunt about the second largest country in the world (by size, not population) and it all seems so easy!! The trip SHOULD have been more akin to Napoleon's trip to Moscow and back!!!
Now as for the bad, the whole plot idea is pretty stupid if you think about it. A sub drops off six guys in the middle of nowhere in the frozen northeast portion of Canada to attack a worthless target. I really can't understand why this target was chosen--maybe they wanted to steal all the whale blubber and beaver pelts. Then, after making this attack (and losing a submarine in the process--wow, that's an even exchange, huh?), the six remaining Nazis trek all the way to the West coast of Canada and then back east to Niagra Falls. This trip is thousands of miles and much of it is through frozen wasteland with few supplies but they manage just fine!!! This is all just a contrived idea in order to take the audience on a travelogue to learn that ALL the good people of Canada are solidly anti-Nazi! After all, the premise just doesn't make any common sense. On top of this, the film just seemed to go on and on. I really think having the Nazis confine themselves to just a few 100,000 square miles and fewer interactions with the locals would have made this a better film. Instead, they jaunt about the second largest country in the world (by size, not population) and it all seems so easy!! The trip SHOULD have been more akin to Napoleon's trip to Moscow and back!!!
Subtle and intelligent analysis of liberal democracy
gavin-622 July 2001
Although 49th Parallel was conceived as a wartime propaganda film, and is predictably heavy-handed in places, it is more often surprisingly subtle and ambivalent. Michael Powell's creativity, individuality and directorial skill lift the film above the standard flag-waving banality which might be expected from the genre.
Although the general point of the film, particularly aimed at the Americans, is that the Nazis are evil and should be opposed, Nazis are in fact the central characters, and it could be argued that Lt. Hirth (Eric Portman) is the hero. Although he is clearly not a nice person and displays many of the cliched trappings of the stereotypical evil Nazi, he is portrayed sympathetically in some ways. It is possible to sympathise with him and his men because they are lost and alone in a foreign country which they cannot comprehend and where no-one can comprehend them. The war is shown not as a simple battle between absolute good and absolute evil, but as a clash of cultures. Hirth belongs to a German tradition of loyalty, obedience and service to the state which is much older than Hitler. He genuinely cannot understand the concepts of democracy, liberalism and individualism, and is completely bewildered by the lifestyle of the Hutterite community, asking not only "who is your leader?" but "what's the salute?". He is an idealist who believes that he and the rest of the Nazis know what is best for everyone. In Powell's view, the war is not just about democracy against dictatorship, but also liberalism against authoritarianism, individualism against conformity and, above all, pragmatism against idealism.
The way the conflict is illustrated through the German sailors' encounters with diverse Canadians is subtle, intelligent and highly effective. The Canadians are not portrayed as heroes. They have very human failings. They are mostly complacent, ignorant, and hypocritical. They try to bury their heads in the sand and pretend the war isn't happening until they are forced to make a decision by their unexpected encounters with Hirth and his men. Johnny, the French-Canadian fur trapper (Laurence Olivier, horribly miscast), comes across as arrogant and obnoxious, and seemingly has little interest in the war. Scott (Leslie Howard) is appallingly smug, hypocritical and self-absorbed, avoiding involvement in the war by retreating to the Rocky Mountains. Although he is fashionably disdainful of the Nazi leaders, he is unmoved by what they have done in Europe. He is only shaken out of his complacency when the Germans vandalise his books and paintings! Significantly, Hirth crows that " we kicked him out of the Reich years ago" as he burns Thomas Mann's latest book. Scott must have been aware of the sufferings of Thomas Mann and others in Nazi Germany, but felt no need to do anything about it.
The overall result is that although the individual Canadians are not heroic, they eventually make up their minds and join the fight against Nazism (as Powell hoped the Americans would). They each have their own reasons for this, reasons which are often selfish, ambiguous and prosaic. In this, they are the antithesis of the disciplined and idealistic Hirth. It is made clear that those who oppose the Nazis are not merely fighting out of blind loyalty to their countries, but nor are they fighting for any abstract ideal. Democracy is not portrayed as an ideal, but as a pragmatic solution: the worst system apart from all the others. The liberal democratic society of the western world is shown up as a mess, but it is a reasonably happy mess. It is superior to the nightmare of Nazi Germany precisely because it is pragmatic, flexible and individualistic. People are free to live their lives as they choose without an authoritarian government telling them what is best for them. For these reasons, 49th Parallel has an enduring resonance.
Vogel's defection to the Hutterites emphasises the humanity of the Germans and the fact that they were not all enthusiastic Nazis. But ironically, in leaving the Nazis, Vogel loses his sense of duty and becomes as hypocritical and self-obsessed as the Canadians. Although Vogel is not sympathetic to the Nazi cause and shows remorse for his involvement with it, he is not proposing to fight against it. He merely wants to hide from reality with the Hutterites and carry on baking bread, regardless of the outside world. His wish to go back to "how things used to be" is essentially the wish of an adult overwhelmed by reality to return to childhood. In this sense, as well as in the more literal military and legal senses, he is a deserter.
Overall, this is an exceptional film, despite some wooden acting and poor continuity, which gives the impression of drastic and ill-advised cuts. For example, in one scene the Germans are stealing a car, and in the next scene they are on a train, with no clue given as to what happened in between. It is not properly explained how the remaining two escaped from the crowd in Banff, and it seems far too easy for Hirth to get on to a plane and fly to Ontario. The scenery is magnificent (and magnificently shot) and the action is genuinely exciting, although the ending is completely absurd. 49th Parallel works as art and entertainment as well as propaganda, in contrast to Nazi films of the same era. The propaganda element is subtle and intelligent, making wider points which are still relevant today. The ultimate testament to the superiority of western liberal democracy is the fact that this film was made in the way it was and allowed to be shown. In an authoritarian dictatorship, Powell would most likely have been shot for treason for making a "propaganda" film so ambivalent and unflattering to the cause it was meant to promote. Narrow minded Nazis (like Hirth) would have been unable to grasp the deeper truths and humanist values at its heart.
Although the general point of the film, particularly aimed at the Americans, is that the Nazis are evil and should be opposed, Nazis are in fact the central characters, and it could be argued that Lt. Hirth (Eric Portman) is the hero. Although he is clearly not a nice person and displays many of the cliched trappings of the stereotypical evil Nazi, he is portrayed sympathetically in some ways. It is possible to sympathise with him and his men because they are lost and alone in a foreign country which they cannot comprehend and where no-one can comprehend them. The war is shown not as a simple battle between absolute good and absolute evil, but as a clash of cultures. Hirth belongs to a German tradition of loyalty, obedience and service to the state which is much older than Hitler. He genuinely cannot understand the concepts of democracy, liberalism and individualism, and is completely bewildered by the lifestyle of the Hutterite community, asking not only "who is your leader?" but "what's the salute?". He is an idealist who believes that he and the rest of the Nazis know what is best for everyone. In Powell's view, the war is not just about democracy against dictatorship, but also liberalism against authoritarianism, individualism against conformity and, above all, pragmatism against idealism.
The way the conflict is illustrated through the German sailors' encounters with diverse Canadians is subtle, intelligent and highly effective. The Canadians are not portrayed as heroes. They have very human failings. They are mostly complacent, ignorant, and hypocritical. They try to bury their heads in the sand and pretend the war isn't happening until they are forced to make a decision by their unexpected encounters with Hirth and his men. Johnny, the French-Canadian fur trapper (Laurence Olivier, horribly miscast), comes across as arrogant and obnoxious, and seemingly has little interest in the war. Scott (Leslie Howard) is appallingly smug, hypocritical and self-absorbed, avoiding involvement in the war by retreating to the Rocky Mountains. Although he is fashionably disdainful of the Nazi leaders, he is unmoved by what they have done in Europe. He is only shaken out of his complacency when the Germans vandalise his books and paintings! Significantly, Hirth crows that " we kicked him out of the Reich years ago" as he burns Thomas Mann's latest book. Scott must have been aware of the sufferings of Thomas Mann and others in Nazi Germany, but felt no need to do anything about it.
The overall result is that although the individual Canadians are not heroic, they eventually make up their minds and join the fight against Nazism (as Powell hoped the Americans would). They each have their own reasons for this, reasons which are often selfish, ambiguous and prosaic. In this, they are the antithesis of the disciplined and idealistic Hirth. It is made clear that those who oppose the Nazis are not merely fighting out of blind loyalty to their countries, but nor are they fighting for any abstract ideal. Democracy is not portrayed as an ideal, but as a pragmatic solution: the worst system apart from all the others. The liberal democratic society of the western world is shown up as a mess, but it is a reasonably happy mess. It is superior to the nightmare of Nazi Germany precisely because it is pragmatic, flexible and individualistic. People are free to live their lives as they choose without an authoritarian government telling them what is best for them. For these reasons, 49th Parallel has an enduring resonance.
Vogel's defection to the Hutterites emphasises the humanity of the Germans and the fact that they were not all enthusiastic Nazis. But ironically, in leaving the Nazis, Vogel loses his sense of duty and becomes as hypocritical and self-obsessed as the Canadians. Although Vogel is not sympathetic to the Nazi cause and shows remorse for his involvement with it, he is not proposing to fight against it. He merely wants to hide from reality with the Hutterites and carry on baking bread, regardless of the outside world. His wish to go back to "how things used to be" is essentially the wish of an adult overwhelmed by reality to return to childhood. In this sense, as well as in the more literal military and legal senses, he is a deserter.
Overall, this is an exceptional film, despite some wooden acting and poor continuity, which gives the impression of drastic and ill-advised cuts. For example, in one scene the Germans are stealing a car, and in the next scene they are on a train, with no clue given as to what happened in between. It is not properly explained how the remaining two escaped from the crowd in Banff, and it seems far too easy for Hirth to get on to a plane and fly to Ontario. The scenery is magnificent (and magnificently shot) and the action is genuinely exciting, although the ending is completely absurd. 49th Parallel works as art and entertainment as well as propaganda, in contrast to Nazi films of the same era. The propaganda element is subtle and intelligent, making wider points which are still relevant today. The ultimate testament to the superiority of western liberal democracy is the fact that this film was made in the way it was and allowed to be shown. In an authoritarian dictatorship, Powell would most likely have been shot for treason for making a "propaganda" film so ambivalent and unflattering to the cause it was meant to promote. Narrow minded Nazis (like Hirth) would have been unable to grasp the deeper truths and humanist values at its heart.
A film that every Canadian won't forget. It didn't need propaganda to prove that Hitler and the Nazis were the biggest curse to humanity.
SAMTHEBESTEST29 December 2022
49th Parallel (1941) :
Brief Review -
A film that every Canadian won't forget. It didn't need propaganda to prove that Hitler and the Nazis were the biggest curse to humanity. There is a huge flashback story behind the making of this film, and one of them is 'propaganda'. As it starts off with the commentary that the 49th Parallel is undefeated, you start feeling the burn. Somehow, it goes completely off course with the setup until the runaway journey of those six Nazis begins. It is about World War II U-boat crews who are stranded in northern Canada. To avoid internment, they must make their way to the border and get into the still-neutral United States. But the outside world doesn't think like them, nor does it follow any kind of Hitlerism. I loved that word, "Hitlerism!" The film is a poignant take on how Hitler and his ideologies corrupted youth and destroyed their careers. How he turned young, bright, and kind fellas into inhuman machine guns. 49th Parallel may be about those six Germans and 11 million Canadians, but believe me, it spoke on behalf of billions of people whose lives have been destroyed by World War 2. This film tells you how Hitler and the Nazis ruined humanity, and that too without any propaganda. It uses simple formulas of human bonds, books, forgiveness, art, and simple rules of life. Watch out for every scene when those Nazis are being humiliated by humanity. What a fantastic casting unit it was. Leslie Howard, Laurence Olivier, Anton Walbrook, Raymond Massey, Glynis Johns, Eric Portman, Niall MacGinnis and others have done so well here. You need a lot of guts to make a film like this during the war period, and Michael Powell won't get enough praise even if you hail him for that. Not to forget legendary director David Lean's editing skills. Overall, a very hard-hitting and substantial flick for all ages.
RATING - 7.5/10*
By - #samthebestest.
A film that every Canadian won't forget. It didn't need propaganda to prove that Hitler and the Nazis were the biggest curse to humanity. There is a huge flashback story behind the making of this film, and one of them is 'propaganda'. As it starts off with the commentary that the 49th Parallel is undefeated, you start feeling the burn. Somehow, it goes completely off course with the setup until the runaway journey of those six Nazis begins. It is about World War II U-boat crews who are stranded in northern Canada. To avoid internment, they must make their way to the border and get into the still-neutral United States. But the outside world doesn't think like them, nor does it follow any kind of Hitlerism. I loved that word, "Hitlerism!" The film is a poignant take on how Hitler and his ideologies corrupted youth and destroyed their careers. How he turned young, bright, and kind fellas into inhuman machine guns. 49th Parallel may be about those six Germans and 11 million Canadians, but believe me, it spoke on behalf of billions of people whose lives have been destroyed by World War 2. This film tells you how Hitler and the Nazis ruined humanity, and that too without any propaganda. It uses simple formulas of human bonds, books, forgiveness, art, and simple rules of life. Watch out for every scene when those Nazis are being humiliated by humanity. What a fantastic casting unit it was. Leslie Howard, Laurence Olivier, Anton Walbrook, Raymond Massey, Glynis Johns, Eric Portman, Niall MacGinnis and others have done so well here. You need a lot of guts to make a film like this during the war period, and Michael Powell won't get enough praise even if you hail him for that. Not to forget legendary director David Lean's editing skills. Overall, a very hard-hitting and substantial flick for all ages.
RATING - 7.5/10*
By - #samthebestest.
Thematic WW2 propaganda
Leofwine_draca10 May 2017
Warning: Spoilers
49TH PARALLEL is a thematic war movie by the Powell & Pressburger team. It follows the misadventures of a bunch of Germans who find themselves stranded in Canada and must go undercover in order to reach the American border; as a neutral country, America will provide them a place of safety. Along the way, the Germans meet up with various characters and conflicting attitudes toward the war are subsequently explored throughout. 49TH PARALLEL is a well acted movie and as a propaganda piece it's less gung-ho than usual, taking time to explore the depth of the situation and raising some interesting questions at the same time.
Well Crafted WWII Drama
haridam015 June 2006
Michael Powell and Emeric Pressberger's artistic collaboration at the start of WWII benefits from a powerhouse cast.
Clearly propaganda, the cast and crew apparently came from all parts of the world to lend their talents for a "mutual cause." With strains of Ralph Vaughn Williams's score woven into the cinematic fabric, Pressberger's elaborate story is expansive and involved.
The Oscar nominated film is worth watching, and it's interesting to see Raymond Massey's speech as a G.I. so very Yank-oriented, without a trace of the mannered style he later acquired. Leslie Howard is well cast as a poetic, philosophical dreamer. However, it's Anton Walbrook who really surprises with an uncharacteristic subtle naturalistic style.
This is apparently the project Elizabeth Bergner used to defect from Germany to the U.S., leaving the film for Hollywood (and Glynis Johns to take over the role). The actors playing Nazis are all quite strong.
Clearly propaganda, the cast and crew apparently came from all parts of the world to lend their talents for a "mutual cause." With strains of Ralph Vaughn Williams's score woven into the cinematic fabric, Pressberger's elaborate story is expansive and involved.
The Oscar nominated film is worth watching, and it's interesting to see Raymond Massey's speech as a G.I. so very Yank-oriented, without a trace of the mannered style he later acquired. Leslie Howard is well cast as a poetic, philosophical dreamer. However, it's Anton Walbrook who really surprises with an uncharacteristic subtle naturalistic style.
This is apparently the project Elizabeth Bergner used to defect from Germany to the U.S., leaving the film for Hollywood (and Glynis Johns to take over the role). The actors playing Nazis are all quite strong.
Nazis on the Run Across Canada in an Episodic, Pip-Pip Propaganda Epic
EUyeshima24 July 2007
The Criterion Collection saw fit to release this 1941 British propaganda film in an elaborate two-disc set, but the circumstances behind the production are actually more interesting than the resulting film showcased in a fine print on the 2007 disc. In their third collaboration, director Michael Powell and screenwriter Eric Pressburger were requested by the British Government's Ministry of Information to make a movie that would encourage the U.S. to join the Allied forces to defeat the Nazis, all this months prior to Pearl Harbor. As it stands, the film serves as a piercing if somewhat dogmatic indictment of the absolutist Nazi rhetoric and the simple-minded brutality borne out of it. The title refers to the border between the U.S. and Canada, which is immediately identified by the narrator as "the only undefended frontier in the world".
Enter a German U-boat, which gets sunk in Canadian waters, while six Nazi soldiers look for food and supplies on land. Suddenly stranded in a country not only alien to them but also hostile to their point of view, the rest of the plot is about how these men attempt to find a way to get out of Canada and back to Germany. They make their way westward meeting various people who react to their presence in divergent ways. The film's most intriguing and challenging aspect is how the soldiers are presented in various shades of fanaticism from the uncompromising zealot, Lieutenant Hirth, to the passive resistance of Vogel, who wants to abandon the cause to become a baker. The episodic structure accommodates several famous stars in condensed roles, the most familiar being Laurence Olivier as a French-Canadian fur-trapper and Leslie Howard as a reclusive aesthete. Olivier's cameo is particularly shameless with an overripe accent that portends the hamminess of his twilight career roles, while Howard's has a touch of ironic poignancy given his death from a German fighter attack soon after production was completed.
The most interesting passage occurs when the soldiers happen upon a Hutterite farming community in Manitoba, an Amish-like oasis of pacifist civility that must have served as the inspiration for Peter Weir's "Witness". Eric Portman plays the soulless Hirth with a barely concealed rage and a wavering Teutonic accent, while Niall MacGinniss subtly shows the inner conflict of a man having doubts about the necessity of a master race. Long before "Mary Poppins" and "While You Were Sleeping", Glynis Johns, all of 17, affectingly plays a naïve Hutterite girl intrigued by the soldiers. There is evidence of Powell's and Pressburger's compelling cinematic style in various shots (like the plane crash sequence), and revered British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams composed the atmospheric score that beautifully underlines much of the action.
For all its good intentions, however, the film is compromised by a narrative that rarely inspires and other than the Nazi portrayals, characters that often seem cardboard-thin. Film historian Bruce Eder provides academic commentary on an alternate track on the first disc, while the second disc consists of three major components. The first is a 46-minute short, "The Volunteer", starring Ralph Richardson as himself as he shows a theater dresser preparing to entering military service. The second is an hour-long audio tape of Powell narrating parts of his autobiography, and the final piece is an entertaining hour-long 1981 documentary about Powell and Pressburger, although unfortunately it bypasses production of this film entirely.
Enter a German U-boat, which gets sunk in Canadian waters, while six Nazi soldiers look for food and supplies on land. Suddenly stranded in a country not only alien to them but also hostile to their point of view, the rest of the plot is about how these men attempt to find a way to get out of Canada and back to Germany. They make their way westward meeting various people who react to their presence in divergent ways. The film's most intriguing and challenging aspect is how the soldiers are presented in various shades of fanaticism from the uncompromising zealot, Lieutenant Hirth, to the passive resistance of Vogel, who wants to abandon the cause to become a baker. The episodic structure accommodates several famous stars in condensed roles, the most familiar being Laurence Olivier as a French-Canadian fur-trapper and Leslie Howard as a reclusive aesthete. Olivier's cameo is particularly shameless with an overripe accent that portends the hamminess of his twilight career roles, while Howard's has a touch of ironic poignancy given his death from a German fighter attack soon after production was completed.
The most interesting passage occurs when the soldiers happen upon a Hutterite farming community in Manitoba, an Amish-like oasis of pacifist civility that must have served as the inspiration for Peter Weir's "Witness". Eric Portman plays the soulless Hirth with a barely concealed rage and a wavering Teutonic accent, while Niall MacGinniss subtly shows the inner conflict of a man having doubts about the necessity of a master race. Long before "Mary Poppins" and "While You Were Sleeping", Glynis Johns, all of 17, affectingly plays a naïve Hutterite girl intrigued by the soldiers. There is evidence of Powell's and Pressburger's compelling cinematic style in various shots (like the plane crash sequence), and revered British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams composed the atmospheric score that beautifully underlines much of the action.
For all its good intentions, however, the film is compromised by a narrative that rarely inspires and other than the Nazi portrayals, characters that often seem cardboard-thin. Film historian Bruce Eder provides academic commentary on an alternate track on the first disc, while the second disc consists of three major components. The first is a 46-minute short, "The Volunteer", starring Ralph Richardson as himself as he shows a theater dresser preparing to entering military service. The second is an hour-long audio tape of Powell narrating parts of his autobiography, and the final piece is an entertaining hour-long 1981 documentary about Powell and Pressburger, although unfortunately it bypasses production of this film entirely.
Nazis in North America
jotix10027 September 2005
This film, being labeled as propaganda, seems to be different from the usual fare Hollywood presented for the same purpose during the years of WWII. It takes a director like Michael Powell, working with his usual collaborator, Emeric Pressburger, to turn this movie into a riveting case against fascism. The screen play, by Mr. Pressburger and Rodney Ackland involves the viewer from the start.
Mr. Powell and his crew did wonders with their budgets. Things were done in a much modest scale in England, especially during those days of hardship as the country was already involved in the conflict. By bringing the production to Canada, Mr. Powell achieved a coup by shooting the film in locations that show the majesty of the country.
In a way, "49th Parallel" shows the difference in ideology from the stranded Nazis with the friendliness and openness of Canada. The generosity of that country in receiving, and accepting all the people in need of refuge, is also in sharp contrast with the philosophy advocated by Hitler and his ilk in Europe.
One of Mr. Powell's accomplishment with this film is to present the biggest stars of the English cinema in roles that were not what one expected from these actors to assume. Thus, we watch Leslie Howard, Lawrence Olivier, Anton Walbrook, Raymond Massey in roles that are self effacing, at best, but which leave their mark on us, the viewers. Eric Portman is the only one that is seen throughout the film, as he got the best opportunity of his career where to shine as the hateful Lt. Hans Hirth. A young Glynis Johns is seen at the rural commune.
The great cinematography of Freddie Young and the elegant editing of David Lean are hidden assets of this film. The musical score by Ralph Vaughan Williams is heard in the background.
This is a highly recommended film to realize the greatness of Michael Powell at work.
Mr. Powell and his crew did wonders with their budgets. Things were done in a much modest scale in England, especially during those days of hardship as the country was already involved in the conflict. By bringing the production to Canada, Mr. Powell achieved a coup by shooting the film in locations that show the majesty of the country.
In a way, "49th Parallel" shows the difference in ideology from the stranded Nazis with the friendliness and openness of Canada. The generosity of that country in receiving, and accepting all the people in need of refuge, is also in sharp contrast with the philosophy advocated by Hitler and his ilk in Europe.
One of Mr. Powell's accomplishment with this film is to present the biggest stars of the English cinema in roles that were not what one expected from these actors to assume. Thus, we watch Leslie Howard, Lawrence Olivier, Anton Walbrook, Raymond Massey in roles that are self effacing, at best, but which leave their mark on us, the viewers. Eric Portman is the only one that is seen throughout the film, as he got the best opportunity of his career where to shine as the hateful Lt. Hans Hirth. A young Glynis Johns is seen at the rural commune.
The great cinematography of Freddie Young and the elegant editing of David Lean are hidden assets of this film. The musical score by Ralph Vaughan Williams is heard in the background.
This is a highly recommended film to realize the greatness of Michael Powell at work.
War...a little too close for comfort. Canada stands strong.
michaelRokeefe12 September 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Michael Powell directs this very good British war flick. Action, suspense and the drama of six German sailors stranded in northern Canada. The stranded Nazi servicemen watch helplessly as they watch bombers sink their u-boat off the Canadian coast. Now the six, must make their way to America; for the U.S. is in a state of neutrality not being in the war as of yet. This is a well paced, interesting movie with well defined characterizations. The cast is superb. Eric Portman plays the Nazi Lieutenant that leads the stranded U-boat crew. Other highly visible stars...Laurence Olivier, Leslie Howard, Glynis Johns and Anton Walbrook. But I think Raymond Massey really steals the show. Massey playing the Canadian soldier stowed away on a freight train that finally gets his hands on a Nazi. My favorite scenes are the German u-boat being blown to bits and the finale fade out...Massey approaching Portman to settle the score so-to-speak. This classic is also known in the U.S. as THE INVADERS.
'Wars may come, wars may go, but art goes on forever'
PoppyTransfusion8 November 2011
Warning: Spoilers
So sayeth one of the characters, Richard Armstrong Scott (played by Leslie Howard) and never have truer words been said of films in general and of this one in particular. WW2 has long gone but this celluloid gem remains and although filmed for WW2 propaganda this has not limited its continued enjoyment and appreciation. It is a superb commentary on the dangers of any ideology that demands total blind servitude of its followers and perpetrates cruelty and murder to attain it. The film is a stinging commentary on Nazism set against a back drop of the ordinary and human endeavours of people in Canada.
The story opens with a German U-Boat off Canadian waters. The boat and crew require fuel and supplies to enable their return to Germany and so they select a remote part of Canada (Hudson Bay) to surface whilst 6 of the crew go on foot to a village to procure the necessities for the journey home. Disaster strikes when the U-Boat is traced and bombed to pieces by Canadian fighter pilots leaving the 6 men who reached shore stranded on foot and in enemy territory. Their journey to reach the USA, which was still neutral in WW2 at this point, is the main focus of the film and is told in 4 chapters: the pillaging at Hudson Bay; a sojourn at a German Christian community, the Hutterites; on foot going west where they encounter a writer researching the native Amerindians; and finally, a confrontation with a Canadian soldier on board a freight train travelling across Niagara Falls from Canada into the USA. During the course of the journey the 6 crew dwindle as they die or are arrested leaving just one of them trying to reach the US at Niagara.
There are many stars of the era in this film and performances all round are superb even Laurence Olivier's turn as a French Canadian (resembling Gael Garcia Bernal when he sports a beard!) that sometimes raises eyebrows. There is some witty and perceptive dialogue and even though the Nazis sometimes get the better of the Canadians, the Canadians are given the greater voice. Some fine examples of this are:
"You and your Hitlerism are like the microbes of some filthy disease."
"I never would have believed that grown up men could behave like spiteful little schoolboys" (after a Nazi symbolically destroys a Matisse and Picasso).
"One armed superman {the Nazi} against one unarmed decadent democrat."
The chapter in which the Nazis hide out with the Hutterites is particularly poignant as one of the Nazis discovers to his astonishment that in the community people work because they want to support the community, not for financial gain. They work at whatever they enjoy and/or are skilled at. If they leave their community for any reason and return they are not punished but welcomed back. The contrast drawn between them and Nazi Germany is implicit. The importance of the Hutterite chapter is that this film is not anti-German but anti-Nazi.
Watching the film 70 years since it was made one feels patriotism roused as well as hatred and fear of Nazism and what it represents; amazing as a piece of propaganda and marvellous as a film. Finally, this film served Canada and its peoples very well giving it and them a character separate from and distinct to the USA.
The story opens with a German U-Boat off Canadian waters. The boat and crew require fuel and supplies to enable their return to Germany and so they select a remote part of Canada (Hudson Bay) to surface whilst 6 of the crew go on foot to a village to procure the necessities for the journey home. Disaster strikes when the U-Boat is traced and bombed to pieces by Canadian fighter pilots leaving the 6 men who reached shore stranded on foot and in enemy territory. Their journey to reach the USA, which was still neutral in WW2 at this point, is the main focus of the film and is told in 4 chapters: the pillaging at Hudson Bay; a sojourn at a German Christian community, the Hutterites; on foot going west where they encounter a writer researching the native Amerindians; and finally, a confrontation with a Canadian soldier on board a freight train travelling across Niagara Falls from Canada into the USA. During the course of the journey the 6 crew dwindle as they die or are arrested leaving just one of them trying to reach the US at Niagara.
There are many stars of the era in this film and performances all round are superb even Laurence Olivier's turn as a French Canadian (resembling Gael Garcia Bernal when he sports a beard!) that sometimes raises eyebrows. There is some witty and perceptive dialogue and even though the Nazis sometimes get the better of the Canadians, the Canadians are given the greater voice. Some fine examples of this are:
"You and your Hitlerism are like the microbes of some filthy disease."
"I never would have believed that grown up men could behave like spiteful little schoolboys" (after a Nazi symbolically destroys a Matisse and Picasso).
"One armed superman {the Nazi} against one unarmed decadent democrat."
The chapter in which the Nazis hide out with the Hutterites is particularly poignant as one of the Nazis discovers to his astonishment that in the community people work because they want to support the community, not for financial gain. They work at whatever they enjoy and/or are skilled at. If they leave their community for any reason and return they are not punished but welcomed back. The contrast drawn between them and Nazi Germany is implicit. The importance of the Hutterite chapter is that this film is not anti-German but anti-Nazi.
Watching the film 70 years since it was made one feels patriotism roused as well as hatred and fear of Nazism and what it represents; amazing as a piece of propaganda and marvellous as a film. Finally, this film served Canada and its peoples very well giving it and them a character separate from and distinct to the USA.
No Refuge in Canada for these Nazis
bkoganbing8 December 2005
A German U-Boat is doing its thing in the North Atlantic when it runs out of food supplies. The captain tries what admittedly is an audacious maneuver. He takes his ship into Hudson's Bay, figuring the population there is nothing but Inuit. He sends a landing party to forage for food. Then the submarine is spotted and sunk with bombs dropped by the Royal Canadian Air Force.
That strands the landing party and they're forced to try and make their way south to the then neutral USA. The film is a series of the various encounters the crew has with the free people of Canada.
Except for one of them, they are a thick headed lot, brains filled with Nazi propaganda. The most interesting encounter is with a group of Hutterites who are in fact German in origin. Comes as quite a culture shock for Eric Portman and his fellow German sailors. Anton Walbrook gives a very stirring speech here about the fact that this group left Europe a century ago to get away from people like the Nazis. One of the crew Niall McGinniss is a baker by trade in civilian life and would just as soon sit out the war with this crowd. Unfortunately his countrymen won't let him.
Laurence Olivier has a strong performance as a French Canadien trapper the group first encounters as they break into a trading post for food and supplies. It's a story put in there because during World War I the French Canadians were quite vociferously vocal in their opposition to the draft. Why I've never figured out because Canada was fighting on the side of France. Olivier has no interest whatever in the politics of Europe, but he finds out too late what kind of people he's now dealing with.
One of the episodes is a bit silly. The urbane and cultured Leslie Howard owns a bit of land and lives in an Indian wigwam with a Picasso, a Matisse, and a few writers that the Nazis find objectionable. Before stealing from him, they trash his place.
I don't know about you, but I find the whole thing too much. It's as if Leslie Howard just dusted off his Alan Squier portrayal from The Petrified Forest and had him come into some bucks. I mean every wigwam should have a Picasso.
The last sequence is a good one as an AWOL Canadian soldier played by Raymond Massey encounters the last remaining Nazi and deals with him appropriately. Raymond Massey comes from a prominent Canadian family, his brother was at one time Governor-General of Canada. I'm sure this was a film he wanted desperately to be in and he gives a good account of himself here.
Except for the Leslie Howard portion. 49th Parallel holds up very well even for today's audience.
That strands the landing party and they're forced to try and make their way south to the then neutral USA. The film is a series of the various encounters the crew has with the free people of Canada.
Except for one of them, they are a thick headed lot, brains filled with Nazi propaganda. The most interesting encounter is with a group of Hutterites who are in fact German in origin. Comes as quite a culture shock for Eric Portman and his fellow German sailors. Anton Walbrook gives a very stirring speech here about the fact that this group left Europe a century ago to get away from people like the Nazis. One of the crew Niall McGinniss is a baker by trade in civilian life and would just as soon sit out the war with this crowd. Unfortunately his countrymen won't let him.
Laurence Olivier has a strong performance as a French Canadien trapper the group first encounters as they break into a trading post for food and supplies. It's a story put in there because during World War I the French Canadians were quite vociferously vocal in their opposition to the draft. Why I've never figured out because Canada was fighting on the side of France. Olivier has no interest whatever in the politics of Europe, but he finds out too late what kind of people he's now dealing with.
One of the episodes is a bit silly. The urbane and cultured Leslie Howard owns a bit of land and lives in an Indian wigwam with a Picasso, a Matisse, and a few writers that the Nazis find objectionable. Before stealing from him, they trash his place.
I don't know about you, but I find the whole thing too much. It's as if Leslie Howard just dusted off his Alan Squier portrayal from The Petrified Forest and had him come into some bucks. I mean every wigwam should have a Picasso.
The last sequence is a good one as an AWOL Canadian soldier played by Raymond Massey encounters the last remaining Nazi and deals with him appropriately. Raymond Massey comes from a prominent Canadian family, his brother was at one time Governor-General of Canada. I'm sure this was a film he wanted desperately to be in and he gives a good account of himself here.
Except for the Leslie Howard portion. 49th Parallel holds up very well even for today's audience.
ANOTHER NOTCH IN THE ARROW'S BELT...QUIVER...?
masonfisk2 April 2022
A wonderful collaboration between Emeric Pressburger & Michael Powell (Peeping Tom/The Red Shoes) from 1941. A German U-boat is sunk off the coast of Canada. The commander & a handful of sailors make it to shore & decide to make a long trek to across the country hoping to make contact w/friendly Japanese to make it back to their homeland. Along the way they encounter different sects of Canadian people; a fur trader, a group of German ex-pats who live simply on the land (& whom they try to recruit), a naturalist on vacation, played Leslie Howard, & finally a soldier (Raymond Massey) en route to meet up w/his Army unit traveling via train. A nail biter to be sure that doesn't treat the villains like cartoon cut-outs, this journey of futility yields vast rewards as we get to know the Canadian residents (Laurence Olivier plays the fur trapper w/an accent as thick as his corduroys) who stand by their ideals & valiantly fight to win the day.
49th Parallel
Prismark1015 June 2020
Emeric Pressburger won a best story Oscar for this wartime propaganda film directed by Michael Powell.
It is a sort of The Great Escape but made while the war will in its early stages and the US was yet to enter the war. The escapees are Nazis.
A raiding party of six Nazi soldiers who saw their U-boat being sunk plan to make it to neutral USA. They first go to a trading post, they then later travel the length and depth of Canada trying to escape the police hunting them.
To the Germans back home they are regarded as heroes evading capture but with each adventure they diminish in number.
This is an episodic road movie. It allows Powell and Pressburger to show the different people of Canada and its scenery. From Gulf of St Lawrence to the Rocky mountains to Niagara Falls. There are the Inuit people, French Canadians, to Native tribes.
Lieutenants Hirth (Eric Portman) is a Nazi fanatic, cold, calculating and murderous. He views democracy as weak and the Canadians as weak willed with their generous hospitality to strangers. It does have a resonance as these days right wing demagogues are feted as speaking common sense by parts of the media who should know better or just forgot to learn from history.
Hirth and his men come across people such as the Franco Canadian trapper Johnnie (Laurence Olivier) or writer Philip Armstrong Scott (Leslie Howard) living in a wigwam as he studies native Indians. Both of them do not keep up with the latest news or giving much thought to a war in Europe. The war comes to them and they must react as if to save their way of life.
The story sees some of the Germans like Vogel yearning for a simple life as a baker when they join a rural Hutterite community who once hailed from Germany. His Nazi comrades execute him for treachery.
Hirth seems to have little problems criss crossing a vast nation like Canada, he managed to evade capture easily on several occasions. There is little by way of a time frame. It seems a lot of Canadians seemed to have no issues being friendly with German sounding strangers and certainly seem to care little about World War 2.
One person Andy Brock (Raymond Massey) who gets friendly with Hirth turns out to be a soldier gone AWOL.
The Leslie Howard segment was the weakest, an urbane writer with valuable paintings in his wigwam and could not care less attitude. Almost as he was the Pimpernel.
This was a propaganda piece, some of it comes across as heavy handed now. This was a massive undertaking considering when this movie was made.
It is a sort of The Great Escape but made while the war will in its early stages and the US was yet to enter the war. The escapees are Nazis.
A raiding party of six Nazi soldiers who saw their U-boat being sunk plan to make it to neutral USA. They first go to a trading post, they then later travel the length and depth of Canada trying to escape the police hunting them.
To the Germans back home they are regarded as heroes evading capture but with each adventure they diminish in number.
This is an episodic road movie. It allows Powell and Pressburger to show the different people of Canada and its scenery. From Gulf of St Lawrence to the Rocky mountains to Niagara Falls. There are the Inuit people, French Canadians, to Native tribes.
Lieutenants Hirth (Eric Portman) is a Nazi fanatic, cold, calculating and murderous. He views democracy as weak and the Canadians as weak willed with their generous hospitality to strangers. It does have a resonance as these days right wing demagogues are feted as speaking common sense by parts of the media who should know better or just forgot to learn from history.
Hirth and his men come across people such as the Franco Canadian trapper Johnnie (Laurence Olivier) or writer Philip Armstrong Scott (Leslie Howard) living in a wigwam as he studies native Indians. Both of them do not keep up with the latest news or giving much thought to a war in Europe. The war comes to them and they must react as if to save their way of life.
The story sees some of the Germans like Vogel yearning for a simple life as a baker when they join a rural Hutterite community who once hailed from Germany. His Nazi comrades execute him for treachery.
Hirth seems to have little problems criss crossing a vast nation like Canada, he managed to evade capture easily on several occasions. There is little by way of a time frame. It seems a lot of Canadians seemed to have no issues being friendly with German sounding strangers and certainly seem to care little about World War 2.
One person Andy Brock (Raymond Massey) who gets friendly with Hirth turns out to be a soldier gone AWOL.
The Leslie Howard segment was the weakest, an urbane writer with valuable paintings in his wigwam and could not care less attitude. Almost as he was the Pimpernel.
This was a propaganda piece, some of it comes across as heavy handed now. This was a massive undertaking considering when this movie was made.
Emotional, gripping adventure drama
drystyx5 April 2006
The 49th Parallel is one the ten greatest movies of all time. What is truly interesting about the movie today is the historic value (among other things) of how people felt and acted in the days before the U.S. joined WW2. Notice the disdain the Nazis feel for Christians and others they feel weren't fit for the Reich. Hopefully, we can save these truly Historic works that were done before fanatics tried to rewrite History for their agendas. The film involves the villains instead of the heroes. And each character is fully explored and represented, even the vicious U Boat officers. The lead bad guy even relents and gives a dying man some water, yet remains an evil but believable character. Unlike today's movies, the bad guys are not supermen who can't be killed. They are mortal in every respect. This is a movie in which characters truly change, and believably so. Everything in the movie is so well directed that it helps define the characters, motives, and plot, if not the strange geographical path the bad guys take. For example, in one scene, two Nazis are taking a make shift shower in a mountain camp. One is a more opportunistic henchman instead of a Nazi who takes advantage of the hot water, while the other insists on using cold water so as to not taint his Nazi pride. If you enjoy character studies, I think its safe to believe you'll relish this movie. A lot of little things that grip you, such as the stunning religious community portion, when you see the hands of a baker, putting a cake with a Happy Birthday message for Anna, and the ensuing results. Guaranteed to leave you in tears. Each of the six fugitives are thoroughly three dimensional characters, different from each other. There is the true terrible Nazi idealist, there is the aristocratic party member interested in his own promotions, there is the career soldier who is stalwart until he loses his uniform, there is the one virtuous German (the most pivotal and sympathetic character in the film} who saves the others consistently and is shown more treachory than gratitude, there is the brute Nazi enforcer, and there is the one who could be most people in the situation, the opportunist who just wants to survive. The movie covers the odyssey of six "bad guys", so to speak. Ten stars.
Propaganda is bad art.
xenophil11 April 2001
This movie is not good in spite of being propaganda. It is a propaganda movie, and bad. Every episode is aimed at delivering a message, not for drama. The characters are all cameos - you feel that famous actors were brought in for the weight their prestige lends to the message, rather than for the talent they bring to the production. The events are utterly unbelievable, the storytelling choppy and episodic.
It was a bold stroke to put the Germans on an epic trek through Canada, but every time you start to empathize with the adventurers, the movie slaps your hand, delivers a sermon, and yanks you into the next cameo scene where another point is to be made. A story with great potential for adventure and tragic downfall (of the arrogant lieutenant) is wasted. The movie is too artful to be campy.
There are some nice landscape shots, suggesting epic sweep. Glynnis Johns, Leslie Howard, and Raymond Massey leap out at you when they appear.
It would not have been hard to cast the Nazis in an unfavorable light by showing something true and important about them, but the bad behavior the movie portrays - kicking an Eskimo, spouting propaganda at inopportune times, smashing a Picasso painting improbably kept in a teepee, acting the ungrateful guest - seem contrived and trivial compared with the real reasons for going to war. The trouble with propaganda is that it wants to tell lies.
It was a bold stroke to put the Germans on an epic trek through Canada, but every time you start to empathize with the adventurers, the movie slaps your hand, delivers a sermon, and yanks you into the next cameo scene where another point is to be made. A story with great potential for adventure and tragic downfall (of the arrogant lieutenant) is wasted. The movie is too artful to be campy.
There are some nice landscape shots, suggesting epic sweep. Glynnis Johns, Leslie Howard, and Raymond Massey leap out at you when they appear.
It would not have been hard to cast the Nazis in an unfavorable light by showing something true and important about them, but the bad behavior the movie portrays - kicking an Eskimo, spouting propaganda at inopportune times, smashing a Picasso painting improbably kept in a teepee, acting the ungrateful guest - seem contrived and trivial compared with the real reasons for going to war. The trouble with propaganda is that it wants to tell lies.
Good Actors Mired in an Endless Parade of Absurdities
hjmsia4928 March 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Where do I begin reviewing this comedy of errors. A German U-Boat sinking ships in the Atlantic decides to sail thousands of miles to Hudson's Bay for supplies (Germany would have been closer). They sail to the far west side of Hudson's Bay where no U-Boat ever entered during WWII because they would find no shipping targets there. The U-Boat surfaces and raises the national flag instead of the German naval ensign. They send ashore six men for "supplies." For some fathomless reason, not one but three RCAF Hudson bombers are patrolling this area? They attack the U-boat whose captain fails to dive on their approach but instead chooses to fight them off by personally manning the lone machine gun. A fitting ending to the most ill-advised journey of any submarine. The Nazi invaders occupy a dwelling ashore with rifles and fixed bayonets, what cramped submarines carry bayonets? They shoot poor Laurence Olivier to put a merciful end to his horrible performance. The Nazis then skyjack a sea plane which conveniently one of them knows how to fly? They run out of fuel and crash into a cold north Canadian lake where all manage to swim ashore with no sign of hypothermia. There in the middle of the most sparsely populated area of Manitoba they find a commune of German speaking Christians, whom they promptly alienate? They then decide to "walk" over a thousand miles to Vancouver to board a Japanese ship. On the way they meet effete Leslie Howard in his canoe paddling to his teepee full of valuable paintings. Need I go on? This is the kind of film that gives propaganda a bad name. No wonder many Canadians found all the stereotypes laughable. A shame so many good actors were wasted on this total fantasy. The biggest joke is that the film actually won an Oscar for Best Screenplay. Were standards that low in the 1940's.
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