The Colditz Story
| The Colditz Story | |
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Cinema release poster
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| Directed by | Guy Hamilton |
| Produced by | Ivan Foxwell |
| Written by |
Guy Hamilton Ivan Foxwell |
| Based on | The Colditz Story by Pat Reid |
| Starring |
John Mills Eric Portman Christopher Rhodes Ian Carmichael Lionel Jeffries |
| Music by | Francis Chagrin |
| Cinematography | Gordon Dines |
| Edited by | Peter Mayhew |
| Distributed by | British Lion Films |
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Release date
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Running time
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93 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | ₤136,000. |
The Colditz Story is a 1955 prisoner of war film starring John Mills and Eric Portman and directed by Guy Hamilton.
It is based on the book written by Pat Reid, a British army officer who was imprisoned in Oflag IV-C, Colditz Castle, in Germany during the Second World War and who was the Escape Officer for British POWs within the castle.
British, French, Dutch and Polish Prisoners of War (POWs) (and some other nationalities), who have made escape attempts but been recaptured, are sent to Oflag IV-C, a supposedly secure castle in Saxony, in the heart of Germany during the Second World War. At first the different nationalities try to initiate their own plans until the Senior British Officer steps in and suggests co-operation between the different contingents. At first, the coordination fails because one of the prisoners is supplying information to the German guards. After he is discovered, plans remain secret and there follows a number of escapes; some successful, some not.
The prisoners of Colditz are high-spirited and eager to needle the Germans. The escape officer of the British contingent, Patrick Reid (Mills), assists in the escape of other prisoners and finally carries out his own escape. The culmination of his escape, his successful crossing into Switzerland, is not depicted in the film however.
The revue at the end of the film involves a parody of the song I Belong to Glasgow, and the routine of Flanagan and Allen (including Underneath the Arches).
The film was the fourth most popular film at the British box office in 1955. It made a profit of £100,000 for its producer.
A BBC television series, Colditz, also based on Reid's book and crediting this film followed during 1972–74, and starred David McCallum, Robert Wagner, Jack Hedley and Edward Hardwicke.
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