British War Collection Vol 2

We Dive At Dawn (1943): British submarine Sea Tiger docks after a long voyage and the crew are given a weeks leave. Each heads off for his chosen destination. However, all their arrangements are then cancelled as they are recalled to their sub and instructed to find and destroy a Nazi battleship, the Brandenburg. On their way, they pick up three German seamen who tell them where the ship lies in the treacherous Baltic Sea. When they eventually find it they fire their torpedoes but must beat a hasty retreat. They do not know if they were successful and must return to port quickly to refuel, not knowing if the Brandenburg is following them. The Way Ahead (1944): Carol Reed's lump-in-the-throat, flag-waver still packs a powerful punch and his semi-documentary technique provides a realistic grittiness to the on screen action. A highly talented cast moves this impressive wartime story on, as we observe a motley crew of young recruits, as they learn to become soldiers, through to the end of the film when they must prove themselves against the enemy. Film debut of Trevor Howard. Originally released in the U.S. in a shortened, more serious version titled The Immortal Battalion. The One That Got Away (1957): This is the dramatic true story of Franz Von Werra, the only German prisoner-of-war in Britain to escape and return to his homeland. During the Battle of Britain, his plane is hit and it plunges down onto British soil. Even though the pilot is captured, he is extremely confident and focused on his plan: to escape and return home against all the odds. Starring Hardy Kruger, who was a real-life prisoner of war, as von Werra in his first UK production. Reach For The Sky (1956): Based on the novel by Paul Brickhill, this is the remarkable true story of Douglas Bader, a pilot in the RAF who overcomes every obstacle to prove his worth. He is a young and ambitious pilot who, after a plane crash, is badly injured. Although doctors expect him to die, he survives but loses both his legs. As his colleagues prepare for his horror and devastation, they find instead a determination in him which refuses to be changed by the accident. He re-enters the RAF where he is determined to continue his career as a pilot. A Winner of the BAFTA Film Award for Best Picture!