The One That Got Away
Encyclopedia
The One That Got Away is a 1957 World War II film
starring Hardy Krüger
and featuring Michael Goodliffe
, Jack Gwillim
and Alec McCowen
. It was directed by Roy Ward Baker
with a screenplay written by Howard Clewes. It is based on the 1956 book of the same name by Kendal Burt and James Leasor
.
The film chronicles the true exploits of Oberleutnant
Franz von Werra
, a Luftwaffe
pilot shot down over England
in 1940. He initially tries to escape from England, but is more successful when being transferred to a Canadian POW camp.
fighter pilot Franz von Werra (Hardy Krüger) is shot down during the Battle of Britain
, and captured. He is initially sent to a prisoner of war
(POW) camp in Cumbria
and bets the camp's RAF interrogator that he will escape and return to Germany within six months.
His first escape sees him recaptured after five or six days while hiding in a field, and he is sent to a more secure POW camp (based on the Hayes Conference Centre
) near Swanwick, Derbyshire
. He and four others escape through a tunnel. The others pair up, but von Werra goes it alone. Reaching Codnor Park railway station, he impersonates a Dutch
pilot whose Wellington bomber
has crashed while on a secret mission. He telephones the nearest airfield, RAF Hucknall, and cons the duty officer into sending a car. When his story starts to fray, he sneaks away and tries to steal an experimental Hawker Hurricane
, only to be caught at the last moment.
He and many other POWs are sent by ship to Canada
. On the train ride across the country, he escapes by opening and jumping from a window while the guards are distracted. Walking through the snow and crossing the nearly frozen St Lawrence River using a stolen rowboat, he reaches Ogdensburg
in the United States
, which at that time was still neutral, and claims asylum. The RAF interrogator receives a postcard from von Werra posted from New York
informing him that he has lost his bet.
The film's epilogue
states:
Von Werra was indeed lost while on a patrol over the sea, probably due to engine failure, but there were no witnesses.
War film
War films are a film genre concerned with warfare, usually about naval, air or land battles, sometimes focusing instead on prisoners of war, covert operations, military training or other related subjects. At times war films focus on daily military or civilian life in wartime without depicting battles...
starring Hardy Krüger
Hardy Krüger
Hardy Krüger is a German actor. He is thought of as one of the greatest German actors of the 1960s. He was born in Wedding, Berlin, German Reich...
and featuring Michael Goodliffe
Michael Goodliffe
Lawrence Michael Andrew Goodliffe was an English actor best known for playing suave roles such as doctors, lawyers and army officers. He was also sometimes cast in working class parts....
, Jack Gwillim
Jack Gwillim
Jack William Frederick Gwillim was a prolific English character actor.-Career:Born in Canterbury, Kent, England, he served in the Royal Navy for over twenty years, attaining the rank of Commander...
and Alec McCowen
Alec McCowen
Alexander Duncan "Alec" McCowen CBE is an English actor. He is known for his work in numerous film and stage productions. He was awarded the CBE in the 1985 New Year's Honours List.-Personal:...
. It was directed by Roy Ward Baker
Roy Ward Baker
Roy Ward Baker , born Roy Horace Baker, was an English film director, credited as Roy Baker for much of his career. His best known film is A Night to Remember which won a Golden Globe for Best English-Language Foreign Film in 1959...
with a screenplay written by Howard Clewes. It is based on the 1956 book of the same name by Kendal Burt and James Leasor
James Leasor
James Leasor was a prolific British author, who wrote historical books and thrillers. Leasor's 1978 book, Boarding Party, about an incident that took place in the Second World War, was turned into a film, The Sea Wolves, starring Gregory Peck, Roger Moore and David Niven.-Biography:Leasor was born...
.
The film chronicles the true exploits of Oberleutnant
Oberleutnant
Oberleutnant is a junior officer rank in the militaries of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Translated as "Senior Lieutenant", the rank is typically bestowed upon commissioned officers after five to six years of active duty...
Franz von Werra
Franz von Werra
Franz Xaver Baron von Werra was a German World War II fighter pilot and flying ace who was shot down over England and captured...
, a Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
pilot shot down over England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1940. He initially tries to escape from England, but is more successful when being transferred to a Canadian POW camp.
Plot
LuftwaffeLuftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
fighter pilot Franz von Werra (Hardy Krüger) is shot down during the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
, and captured. He is initially sent to a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
(POW) camp in Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
and bets the camp's RAF interrogator that he will escape and return to Germany within six months.
His first escape sees him recaptured after five or six days while hiding in a field, and he is sent to a more secure POW camp (based on the Hayes Conference Centre
Hayes Conference Centre
The Hayes Conference Centre is a group of buildings in Swanwick, UK which are used for conferences and other functions. The building which now houses the centre's reception was built in the 1850s as a private residence and named Swanwick Hayes...
) near Swanwick, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
. He and four others escape through a tunnel. The others pair up, but von Werra goes it alone. Reaching Codnor Park railway station, he impersonates a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
pilot whose Wellington bomber
Vickers Wellington
The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engine, long range medium bomber designed in the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey, by Vickers-Armstrongs' Chief Designer, R. K. Pierson. It was widely used as a night bomber in the early years of the Second World War, before being displaced as a...
has crashed while on a secret mission. He telephones the nearest airfield, RAF Hucknall, and cons the duty officer into sending a car. When his story starts to fray, he sneaks away and tries to steal an experimental Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
, only to be caught at the last moment.
He and many other POWs are sent by ship to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. On the train ride across the country, he escapes by opening and jumping from a window while the guards are distracted. Walking through the snow and crossing the nearly frozen St Lawrence River using a stolen rowboat, he reaches Ogdensburg
Ogdensburg
Ogdensburg is the name of several places in the United States of America:* Ogdensburg, New Jersey* Ogdensburg, New York* Ogdensburg, WisconsinOther uses:*Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge connects Ogdensburg, New York to Prescott in Canada...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, which at that time was still neutral, and claims asylum. The RAF interrogator receives a postcard from von Werra posted from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
informing him that he has lost his bet.
The film's epilogue
Epilogue
An epilogue, epilog or afterword is a piece of writing at the end of a work of literature or drama, usually used to bring closure to the work...
states:
Despite the efforts of the Canadian GovernmentGovernment of CanadaThe Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
to obtain his return, and of the United States Authorities to hold him, Von Werra crossed the border into MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Travelling by way of PeruPeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, BoliviaBoliviaBolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, he reached BerlinBerlinBerlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
on 18th April, 1941.On October 25th of the same year, while on patrol, his plane was seen to dive into the sea. No trace of Von Werra was found.
Von Werra was indeed lost while on a patrol over the sea, probably due to engine failure, but there were no witnesses.
Cast
- Hardy KrügerHardy KrügerHardy Krüger is a German actor. He is thought of as one of the greatest German actors of the 1960s. He was born in Wedding, Berlin, German Reich...
as Franz von WerraFranz von WerraFranz Xaver Baron von Werra was a German World War II fighter pilot and flying ace who was shot down over England and captured... - Michael GoodliffeMichael GoodliffeLawrence Michael Andrew Goodliffe was an English actor best known for playing suave roles such as doctors, lawyers and army officers. He was also sometimes cast in working class parts....
as RAF Interrogator - Colin GordonColin GordonColin Gordon was a British actor born in Ceylon .He was educated at Marlborough College and Christ Church, Oxford. He made his first West End appearance in 1934 as the hind legs of a horse in a production of “Toad of Toad Hall”. From 1936 to 1939 he was a director with the Fred Melville Repertory...
as Army Interrogator - Alec McCowenAlec McCowenAlexander Duncan "Alec" McCowen CBE is an English actor. He is known for his work in numerous film and stage productions. He was awarded the CBE in the 1985 New Year's Honours List.-Personal:...
as Duty Officer, Hucknall - Terence AlexanderTerence AlexanderTerence Joseph Alexander was an English film and television actor, best known for his role as Charlie Hungerford in the British TV drama Bergerac.-Early life and career:...
as RAF Intelligence Officer - Jack GwillimJack GwillimJack William Frederick Gwillim was a prolific English character actor.-Career:Born in Canterbury, Kent, England, he served in the Royal Navy for over twenty years, attaining the rank of Commander...
as Commandant, Grizedale - Andrew FauldsAndrew FauldsAndrew Matthew William Faulds was a British actor and politician.Born in Isoko, Tanganyika , to missionary parents, Faulds married Bunty Whitfield in 1945...
as Lieutenant, Grizedale - Julian Somers as Booking Clerk
- Harry Lockart as German Prisoner
- Robert Crewdson as German Prisoner
- George MikellGeorge MikellGeorge Mikell is an actor and writer most well known for his performances in The Guns of Navarone and The Great Escape...
as German Prisoner - George RoubicekGeorge RoubicekGeorge Roubicek is an actor, and a dialogue director and script adaptor for English-language versions of foreign films and television shows. Born in Austria in 1935, Roubicek appeared in a number of small roles throughout the 1950s, 60s and 70s, including the films The Bedford Incident, Billion...
as German Prisoner - John Van EyssenJohn Van EyssenJohn Van Eyssen was a South African born actor, agent and executive...
as German Prisoner - Frederick JaegerFrederick JaegerFrederick Jaeger was a German-born actor who found success working in British television.Jaeger was born in Berlin, but moved to England following Adolf Hitler's rise to power in Germany. He graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 1948, and became a British citizen two years later...
as German Prisoner - Richard MarnerRichard MarnerRichard Marner, born Alexander Molchanoff was a Russian-born British actor. He was probably best known for his role as Colonel Kurt Von Strohm in the British sitcom Allo 'Allo!.-Early life:...
as German Prisoner - Paul Hansard as German Prisoner
- Edward CastEdward Cast-Selected filmography:* The Dam Busters * Private's Progress * The One That Got Away * Tiger Bay * Deadly Record * Linda * Payroll * It's All Happening...
as Driver sent from Hucknall (uncredited) - Cyril ChamberlainCyril ChamberlainCyril Chamberlain was an English film and television actor. He appeared in a number of the early Carry On, Doctor in the House and St. Trinian's films....
as Sergeant 'Later' (uncredited) - Michael GoldenMichael Golden (actor)-Selected filmography:* Send for Paul Temple * Hungry Hill * Pool of London * Salute the Toff * The Gentle Gunman * The Square Ring * Murder by Proxy * The Green Scarf...
as First Detective (uncredited) - Glyn HoustonGlyn HoustonGlyn Houston , is an actor best known for his television work. He is the brother of the late film actor Donald Houston.-Early life:...
as Harry, the aircraft fitter working on the Hurricane fighter (uncredited) - Stratford JohnsStratford JohnsStratford Johns, born Alan Edgar Stratford-Johns, was a popular British stage, film and television actor who is best remembered for his starring role as Detective Inspector Charlie Barlow in the innovative and long-running BBC police series Z-Cars, created by Troy Kennedy-Martin.-Early life:Johns...
as Second Detective (uncredited) - Anthony SagarAnthony SagarAnthony Sagar was an English character actor. Although rarely receiving top billing, he was regarded as a stalwart and appeared in many well-known films and in many television sitcoms and dramas such as The Moonstone, Dad's Army, The Avengers and Steptoe and Son.-Career:Sagar was born in...
as Cook who captures von Werra in Kent (uncredited) - Frank WilliamsFrank Williams (actor)Frank Williams is an English actor.Williams was educated at Ardingly College. He starred in The Army Game and as the Vicar in Dad's Army. In 1970, he starred in the short-lived sitcom As Good Cooks Go...
as Railway station porter (uncredited) - Ken Arts as German Prisoner (uncredited)
External links
- The One That Got Away (book) by James LeasorJames LeasorJames Leasor was a prolific British author, who wrote historical books and thrillers. Leasor's 1978 book, Boarding Party, about an incident that took place in the Second World War, was turned into a film, The Sea Wolves, starring Gregory Peck, Roger Moore and David Niven.-Biography:Leasor was born...
, 1956, 2011. ISBN 978-1-908291-12-7