MovieChat Forums > The Colditz Story (1955) Discussion > Harry Tyler

Harry Tyler

posted 14 years ago by Adams5905
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Fantastic semi-forensic study, beautifully lit and photographed (think of it's age), with a superb cast. There have been other posters who compare this unfavourably to The Great Escape. Wrong! This film predated it by 8 years, and focusses on non-American escape activity (much like the original book, The Great Escape, by Paul Brickhill). I seem to remember another b/w 'POW escape' film, which must have influenced TGE, as the plot shadows it for much of the film, in which one of the putative escapers gives himself up in the local village shop, having been sheltered by a local girl, but cannot remember much more than that. Anybody have any ideas?..
Anyway, on to my comment: Lionel Jeffries had (has) a wonderfully lengthy, distinguished and varied career, but did he ever have any hair?..

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe...

[–] TorontoJediMaster 14 years ago

I believe the other film you're thinking of is The Password is Courage. It had plot devices that were mirrored in The Great Escape.

Personally, I like this film better than The Great Escape. It has the understated tone that British films of this era exemplified. I read Pat Reid's book as well. About everything in the film is depicted in either his first book or his follow-up (The Latter Days at Colditz). The second book depicted life at the Castle from his own escape in November of 1942 until the arrival of American troops in April of 1945. About the only thing changed is the order of events.