Monday, September 03, 2007

The Colditz Story

I watched The Colditz Story on your behalf, but I shall not remember it as one of the highlights of the BBC season.

There was little shape to: people turned up at the start of the film and immediately started trying to escape. And the presence of John Mills and Bryan Forbes made it seem just another British war film.

I am sure I have seen an escape attempt made during a theatrical performance - putting the camp into prisoner of war camp - many times before. Here Richard Wattis and Ian Carmichael provided the comedy double act. And to one who remembers the 1970s television series, even the castle looked wrong.

There were compensations: the unexpected sight of a youthful Lionel Jefferies and, as the Senior British Officer, the peerless Eric Portman.

1 comment:

Blognor Regis said...

people turned up at the start of the film and immediately started trying to escape

In fairness, POWs were sent to Colditz because they were persistent escapers.

Great cast though.