One of the better of the rash of pow camp films that came out of the UK in the late 1950's. The film is set in a Nazi pow camp where a group of Royal Navy prisoners come up with a novel means of escape. They produce a life-like dummy that breaks down into small pieces. Several of the men hide the pieces under their coats when they are marched outside the wire for the weekly shower. Once inside the shower room they put the dummy back together. While one man stays behind the rest march back to camp carrying the dummy between them. The guards take a head count which of course matches the number of prisoners who left earlier. The gag works and the Germans are fooled. Only problem is the escapee is caught and shot. They plan to keep pulling the same trick again till one of them makes good his escape. Director Gilbert keeps this one moving right along while getting the best out of the cast and crew. The prisoners include Anthony Steel, Jack Warner, Robert Beatty and Paul Carpenter. The best role in the film goes to Anton Diffring who does his best Nazi SS officer bit. Diffring made a career out of playing nasty German officers. Well done!
(b/w)
(b/w)