Channel surfing & found a good movie

Titled: "The one that got away"

Plot Synopsis:

"Based on the remarkable true story of Franz von Werra, The One That Got Away is the unique story of the only German airman to escape from British detention and return to his homeland. The One That Got Away stars real-life prisoner of war Hardy Kruger as the brash and charismatic von Werra, and the actor in his first UK production makes a surprisingly sympathetic enemy protagonist. What begins as a good mixture of boys-own-adventure and chase movie is improved upon by the vividly photographed scenes of von Werra battling both the harsh elements and the partly-frozen St Lawrence River in Canada. Roy Ward Baker's direction is appropriately straightforward and the black and white photography of veteran cinematographer Eric Cross's is suitably crisp and energetic.

With the Battle of Britain at its height in 1940, German Luftwaffe pilot Oberleutnant Franz von Werra (Hardy Kruger) is shot down over Kent and captured by British soldiers. After interrogation in London, von Werra is imprisoned in a camp in the Lake District and brags to his interrogators that he'll escape within six months. Captivity cannot deter him from the single aim of escaping back to his homeland and he makes two unsuccessful attempts while in England; once by slipping away over wall, the second time whilst masquerading as a Dutch pilot he comes perilously close to commandeering a Spitfire.

The German flyer is then transported to Canada, where he makes a daring escape from a train bound for Montreal. The course of his escape takes him through the snow-covered Canadian countryside until von Werra finally reaches the frozen St Lawrence River; once across he’ll be in New York state and the still-neutral United States. But von Werra is greeted by a final obstacle, the river has thawed in places and he must manhandle a canoe to the river’s edge before finally making the crossing. Canada apply for his return to the US authorities, but some two years after first being captured von Verra makes it back to Berlin by way of South America and Spain. But this is not quite the end of the Franz von Werra story".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_von_Werra

Small world:

http://www.bbmf.co.uk/stapme.html

[Nathan]

haha I watched it last night and found it a very good movie!

[P51Mstg]

What channel was that on? AMC?

Mark H

[Forgotten Field]

Thanks for posting, never heard of this before.

[Nathan]

I think it was on TCM.

-Nate

[Richard W.]

Thanks for the link.

I had seen this when I was a kid and I remember enjoying it very much.

It kind of takes the "fun" out of the story to learn that he was killed on operations a few months after getting back to Germany.

[Nathan]

Thanks for the link.

I had seen this when I was a kid and I remember enjoying it very much.

It kind of takes the "fun" out of the story to learn that he was killed on operations a few months after getting back to Germany.

Ya it was a bummer reading that part that he died. But a great true story! It was kinda hard not to be rooting for him.

[T33driver]

After the movie, TCM host Robert Osborne said the casting of German national Hardy Kruger as von Werra was met with some criticism since WWII was still fresh in peoples' memory. The movie won lots of positive reviews from critics for among other things, the way Kruger authentically conveyed the essence of a German officer. I'm with Hellcat, it's a cinematic gem. I'd never seen nor heard of it before last night.

[Scott Rose]

Thanks, hadn't heard of this one. Just put it in my netflix cue

[Nathan]

Hi Scott,

Sounds good. It was a good movie and I think you'll enjoy it!

I wonder whatever happened to the Bf 109 they crashed in the movie?

[slinky]

There was another instance like the movie....

The most audacious attempt to escape from England was made by Luftwaffe officers, Lt. Heinz Schnabel and Oblt. Harry Wappler on 24th November 1941. They were prisoners in Camp No.15 near Penrith, Northumbria (formerly the Shap Wells hotel) and had forged papers that identified them as two Dutch officers serving in the R.A.F. They made their way to R.A.F. Station Kingstown, near Carlisle and apparently without difficulty entered the station. With the help of a mechanic they started the engine of a Miles Magister of No.15 E.F.T.S. and took off heading for Holland. While over the North Sea they realised that with a distance of some 365 miles to go they would never make it as the maximum range of a Magister was 367 miles. They reluctantly turned back and landed in a field about five miles north of Great Yarmouth, where they were promptly arrested, returned to Camp No.15 and sentenced to 28 days solitary confinement each. After that episode, security at the station was considerably improved!

I had never heard of the movie till last night which was a premier on the TCM channel. Pretty good movie!