The Password is Courage
Encyclopedia
The Password Is Courage is a 1962
World War II
film
, directed, produced and written by Andrew L. Stone
, and starring Dirk Bogarde
. The film is a lighthearted take on the true story of Sergeant-Major Charles Coward
, and the screenplay is based on the biography
of Coward written by John Castle.
) is a senior British
NCO
incarcerated in the POW camp
Stalag VIII-B
. He encourages his fellow inmates to escape, and tries to humiliate the German
guards at every opportunity.
He first attempts to escape by masquerading as a wounded German soldier. He is taken to hospital, where his identity is revealed, but not before being awarded the Iron Cross
as he lies in his hospital bed. He then digs a tunnel, and, using a map he has obtained from the Polish resistance
, escapes with fellow prisoner Bill Pope (Alfred Lynch
). They are captured.
After the failure of the tunnel, they then attempt to escape by using a fire engine. Their plan works - German soldiers get off the road to allow the fire engine to pass through - and they drive the vehicle to freedom.
1962 in film
The year 1962 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*May - The Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards are officially founded by the Taiwanese government....
World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, directed, produced and written by Andrew L. Stone
Andrew L. Stone
Andrew L. Stone was an American screenwriter, director, and producer. Best known for his hard hitting, realistic films, Stone frequently collaborated with his wife, editor and producer Virginia Lively Stone Andrew L. Stone (July 16, 1902, Oakland, California – June 9, 1999, Los Angeles,...
, and starring Dirk Bogarde
Dirk Bogarde
Sir Dirk Bogarde was an English actor and novelist. Initially a matinee idol in such films as Doctor in the House and other Rank Organisation pictures, Bogarde later acted in art-house films such as Death in Venice...
. The film is a lighthearted take on the true story of Sergeant-Major Charles Coward
Charles Coward
Charles Joseph Coward , known as the "Count of Auschwitz", was a British soldier captured during World War II who rescued Jews from Auschwitz and smuggled himself into Auschwitz for one night, subsequently testifying about his experience at the Nuremberg Trials and the IG Farben...
, and the screenplay is based on the biography
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
of Coward written by John Castle.
Plot
Charles Coward (Dirk BogardeDirk Bogarde
Sir Dirk Bogarde was an English actor and novelist. Initially a matinee idol in such films as Doctor in the House and other Rank Organisation pictures, Bogarde later acted in art-house films such as Death in Venice...
) is a senior British
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
NCO
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
incarcerated in the POW camp
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...
Stalag VIII-B
Stalag VIII-B
Stalag VIII-B Lamsdorf was a notorious German Army prisoner of war camp, later renumbered Stalag-344, located near the small town of Lamsdorf in Silesia. The camp initially occupied barracks built to house British and French prisoners in World War I...
. He encourages his fellow inmates to escape, and tries to humiliate the German
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
guards at every opportunity.
He first attempts to escape by masquerading as a wounded German soldier. He is taken to hospital, where his identity is revealed, but not before being awarded the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
as he lies in his hospital bed. He then digs a tunnel, and, using a map he has obtained from the Polish resistance
Polish resistance movement in World War II
The Polish resistance movement in World War II, with the Home Army at its forefront, was the largest underground resistance in all of Nazi-occupied Europe, covering both German and Soviet zones of occupation. The Polish defence against the Nazi occupation was an important part of the European...
, escapes with fellow prisoner Bill Pope (Alfred Lynch
Alfred Lynch
Alfred Cornelius Lynch was a British actor on stage, film and television.Lynch was born in Whitechapel, London, the son of a plumber. After attending a Roman Catholic school, he worked in a draughtsman's office before entering national service...
). They are captured.
After the failure of the tunnel, they then attempt to escape by using a fire engine. Their plan works - German soldiers get off the road to allow the fire engine to pass through - and they drive the vehicle to freedom.
Reality
Although the film claims to be "based on a true story", it doesn't say how close (or distant) it is to that true story. The final escape in the film is obviously based on the "Great Escape" although Coward wasn't involved in that, he wasn't even in the same camp. People that served with him have claimed that a lot of the stories in his book actually happened to other people and it seems that the film has diverted from the truth even more by borrowing events that happened to other people.Trivia
- Despite the title, the password actually turns out to be "cleaning cloths", which Bogarde discovers when he meets the local resistance girl.
- Charles Coward has a cameo appearanceCameo appearanceA cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
in the film and also served as technical advisor during the filming.
Cast
- Dirk BogardeDirk BogardeSir Dirk Bogarde was an English actor and novelist. Initially a matinee idol in such films as Doctor in the House and other Rank Organisation pictures, Bogarde later acted in art-house films such as Death in Venice...
— Sergeant Major Charles Coward - Maria PerschyMaria PerschyMaria Perschy was an Austrian actress.Perschy was born in Eisenstadt, Burgenland, Austria and moved to Vienna at the age of 17 to study acting. After completing her education, she moved to Germany for more training, leading to a movie career. Her first major success came with Nasser Asphalt where...
— Irena - Alfred LynchAlfred LynchAlfred Cornelius Lynch was a British actor on stage, film and television.Lynch was born in Whitechapel, London, the son of a plumber. After attending a Roman Catholic school, he worked in a draughtsman's office before entering national service...
— Bill Pope - Nigel Stock — Cole
- Reginald BeckwithReginald BeckwithReginald Beckwith was a British film and television actor, who made almost one hundred film and television appearances in his career.-Filmography:* Freedom Radio * Scott of the Antarctic...
— Unterofficer - 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:...
— Schmidt - Ed DevereauxEd DevereauxEd Devereaux was an Australian actor, who lived in the UK for many years. He was best known for playing the part of "Matt Hammond" in the Australian children's television series Skippy. He was also involved in the series behind the scenes: Devereaux directed The Veteran , for which he received...
— Aussie - Lewis FianderLewis Fiander- Biography :Fiander was born in Melbourne and educated at Trinity Grammar School, Kew, the son of Mona Jane and Walter Lewis Fiander. Moving to the UK from his native Australia, initially to appear in the play "The One Day of the Year", he appeared in such films as Dr. Phibes Rises Again, Dr....
— Pringle - George MikellGeorge MikellGeorge Mikell is an actor and writer most well known for his performances in The Guns of Navarone and The Great Escape...
— Necke - Richard Carpenter — Robinson
- Bernard ArchardBernard ArchardBernard Joseph Archard was an English actor.Born in Fulham, London, he was a tall, imposing actor with a distinctive face. He was a conscientious objector in the Second World War and worked on the land...
— 1st Prisoner of war - Ferdy MayneFerdy Mayne-Early life:He was born Ferdinand Philip Mayer-Horckel, in Mainz, Germany. His German father was the Judge of Mayence, and his half-English mother gave singing lessons. Because his family was Jewish, he was sent to England to protect him from the Nazis, and he stayed with his aunt, the photographer...
— 1st German officer at French farm - George PravdaGeorge PravdaGeorge Pravda was a Czechoslovakian film and television actor.He began his career in Czechoslovakia, where he was credited as Jirí Pravda, and then emigrated to the United Kingdom....
— 2nd German officer at French farm - Olaf PooleyOlaf PooleyOlaf Pooley is a British actor and writer born February 2, 1916, in Parkstone, Poole, Dorset, England, of an English father and Danish mother.Pooley married the actress Irlin Hall in 1946 and together they had a daughter, the actress Kirstie Pooley and son comedian Seyton Pooley...
— German doctor - Michael Mellinger as Feldwebel
- Colin BlakelyColin BlakelyColin George Blakely was a Northern Irish character actor. He was considered an actor of great range.-Early life:...
— 1st German goon - Margaret Whiting — French farmwoman
- Mark EdenMark EdenMark Eden is a British actor.-Career:Born in London, Eden has appeared in repertory theatre in England and Wales and at the Royal Court Theatre. His many television and film roles include the Doctor Who serial Marco Polo in which he played Marco Polo...
— 2nd Prisoner of war - Douglas Livingstone — Bennett
- Charles DurningCharles DurningCharles Durning is an American actor. With appearances in over 100 films, Durning's memorable roles include police officers in the Oscar-winning The Sting and crime drama Dog Day Afternoon , along with the comedies Tootsie, To Be Or Not To Be and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, the last two...
American GI (uncredited)
External links
- The Password is Courage on Britmovie.co.uk Retrieved 2011-01-19