Remembrance Day, the 11th month of the 11th day of the 11th hour is very special to me as is to many Canadians because it is to honour the men and women who fought in the wars. Canadians came into their own during World War 1 defeating the Germans at Vimy Ridge when the British could not. I thought I would choose films that took place in prisoner of war camps and there are many! I chose these 3…
1. LE GRANDE ILLUSION-1937
I love this French film that takes place in a Prisoner of war camp in some German castle during World War 1. You have the elite, French officer, played by Pierre Fresnay with the workman, played by the great Jean Gabin who are transferred to this high security fortress run by the Erich Von Stroheim who becomes friends with Fresnay. Of course, the prisoners must find a way to escape. It’s an excellent film, superbly directed by Jean Renoir, yes, the son of the famous painter, Auguste Renoir. It’s as much a character study as an adventure and war film that also brings up the class struggle. It is worth seeing.
2. THREE CAME HOME-1950
This is one of my favourite films that is not well known but should be. It stars Claudette Colbert as the famous writer, Agnes Newton Keith, who lives on the island of Borneo with her husband and young son. When the Japanese take charge of the island, they imprison the people but separate the men from the women and their children. We see how brutal the Japanese guards are to the prisoners making it very difficult to maintain morale when you are dealing in some wretched conditions. This is based on a true story on the writings of Agnes Keith who endured torture, starvation and so much more while interred in a camp with her son. Sessue Hayakawa is, once again, brilliant as the commander of the camp just like he did in, “The Bridge on the River Kwai.”
3. STALAG 17-1953
If you want to know where Hogan’s Heroes come from, watch this film. It takes place in a World War 2 camp with a bevy of male stars who all work together to make a great film. William Holden is the bitter, sarcastic prisoner who is not well liked by the men but he is tolerated. You meet some of the other guys including Robert Strauss and Harvey Lembeck who play the comic foils in this film. Robert Strauss nabbed an Oscar nomination for the role of a sex starved best friend to Harvey Lembeck whom we know from the many Avalon and Funicello surfer films where he played the head leader of an inept motorcycle gang. Getting back to this film, we see how the men turn against Holden think he is a rat fink which is not the case but, who is? It’s a good movie that makes you wonder who is the traitor.
So, what prisoner of war movies can you think o?
I've seen the last one and loved the series Hogan's Heroes.
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