WarDramaRomance

A Town Like Alice

- A tale of survival.

In 1941 Malaysia, the advancing Japanese army captures a lot of British territory very quickly. The men are sent off to labor camps, but they have no plan on what to do with the women and children of the British.

Release Date : 1956-03-01

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : The Rank OrganisationVic Films Productions

Production Country : United Kingdom

Alternative Titles : The Rape of Malaya

Cast

Character Name : Jean Paget

Original Name : Virginia McKenna

Gender : Female

Character Name : Joe Harman

Original Name : Peter Finch

Gender : Male

Character Name : Captain Sugaya

Original Name : Tran Van Khe

Gender : Male

Character Name : Miss Horsefall

Original Name : Jean Anderson

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mrs. Dudley Frost

Original Name : Marie Lohr

Gender : Female

Character Name : Ellen

Original Name : Maureen Swanson

Gender : Female

Character Name : Ebbey

Original Name : Renée Houston

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mrs. Frith

Original Name : Nora Nicholson

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mrs. Holland

Original Name : Eileen Moore

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mr. Holland

Original Name : John Fabian

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ben

Original Name : Vincent Ball

Gender : Male

Character Name : Captain Yanata

Original Name : Vu Ngoc Tuan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Japanese Sergeant

Original Name : Kenji Takaki

Gender : Male

Character Name : British Sergeant

Original Name : Tim Turner

Gender : Male

Character Name : Captain Takata

Original Name : Munesato Yamada

Gender : Male

Character Name : Kempetei Sergeant

Original Name : Otokichi Ikeda

Gender : Male

Character Name : Solicitor

Original Name : Geoffrey Keen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs Graham

Original Name : June Shaw

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs Knowles

Original Name : Virginia Clay

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mrs Davies

Original Name : Bay White

Gender : Female

Character Name : Fatima

Original Name : Edwina Carroll

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mat Amin

Original Name : Sanny Bin Hussan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jane

Original Name : Margaret Eaden

Gender : Male

Character Name : Michael Rhodes

Original Name : Dominic Lieven

Gender : Male

Character Name : Timothy

Original Name : Peter John

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mary Graham

Original Name : Meg Buckenham

Gender : Male

Character Name : Australian Driver

Original Name : Sam Kydd

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jack Burns

Original Name : Russell Napier

Gender : Male

Character Name : Passenger

Original Name : Martin Voss

Gender : Male

Character Name : Prisoner

Original Name : Ernest Blyth

Gender : Male

Character Name : Prisoner

Original Name : Norman Morris

Gender : Male

Character Name : Prisoner

Original Name : John Wilder

Gender : Male

Character Name : Malay Driver

Original Name : Ah Chong Choy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Australian POW

Original Name : Garard Green

Gender : Male

Character Name : Australian POW

Original Name : Eric D. Henderson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Prisoner

Original Name : Charles Gilliard

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Charles Rayford

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-05-04

Virginia McKenna takes on the role as a dispossessed British colonial secretary forced into captivity/slavery and to fight for her very survival by the Japanese invasion of Singapore in 1941 and who is, together with a group of similarly forsaken women, shunted around from camp to camp before finally being pretty much abandoned to the wilderness by the Japanese Army. Unusually, for many films made immediately after the war, it tries to offer some semblance of balance between conquerors and conquered. In no way does it attempt to deny or ameliorate the atrocities perpetrated on the prisoners but it does indicate that there was a certain element of "chivalry" offered to the women by their captors - and in some cases these soldiers were treated just as harshly by their own side as collaborators as were many of the women. The story itself develops into a gentle love story as she encounters Australian POW Peter Finch who helps them procure food, and who is "crucified" for his troubles. The film is, at times, too simplistic - but that adds to the poignancy. The relentlessness and horror of their existence - contrasted against their upper/middle class, servant supported, previous lives is writ large. Marie Lohr and a wonderful Jean Anderson (whom you might remember reprised some of her role in the excellent BBC serial "Tenko" from the early 1980s) deliver strongly too.