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HistoryDramaWar

The Great Escaper

- Inspired by a true love story.

In the summer of 2014, a World War II veteran sneaks out of his care home to attend the 70th anniversary commemoration of the D-Day landings in Normandy.

Release Date : 2023-10-06

Language :GermanFrenchEnglish

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Ecosse FilmsFilmgate FilmsIngenious MediaFilm i VästPathéBBC Film

Production Country : FranceSwedenUnited Kingdom

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Michael Caine

Character Name : Bernard Jordan

Original Name : Michael Caine

Gender : Male

Glenda Jackson

Character Name : Irene Jordan

Original Name : Glenda Jackson

Gender : Female

John Standing

Character Name : Arthur

Original Name : John Standing

Gender : Male

Will Fletcher

Character Name : Young Bernard

Original Name : Will Fletcher

Gender : Male

Laura Marcus

Character Name : Young Irene

Original Name : Laura Marcus

Gender : Female

Victor Oshin

Character Name : Scott

Original Name : Victor Oshin

Gender : Male

Danielle Vitalis

Character Name : Adele

Original Name : Danielle Vitalis

Gender : Female

Joe Bone

Character Name : Tim

Original Name : Joe Bone

Gender : Male

Donald Sage Mackay

Character Name : Nathan

Original Name : Donald Sage Mackay

Gender : Male

Carlyss Peer

Character Name : Vicky

Original Name : Carlyss Peer

Gender : Male

Ian Conningham

Character Name : LCT Commander Parker

Original Name : Ian Conningham

Gender : Male

Wolf Kahler

Character Name : Heinrich

Original Name : Wolf Kahler

Gender : Male

Kiera Bell

Character Name : Young Tour Guide

Original Name : Kiera Bell

Gender : Female

Elliot Norman

Character Name : Douglas Bennet

Original Name : Elliot Norman

Gender : Male

Alex Skarbek

Character Name : Maurice (Patron)

Original Name : Alex Skarbek

Gender : Male

Valerie Sarruf

Character Name : Little Old French Lady

Original Name : Valerie Sarruf

Gender : Female

Graeme Dalling

Character Name : Cyclist

Original Name : Graeme Dalling

Gender : Male

Simon Darwen

Character Name : Male TV Announcer

Original Name : Simon Darwen

Gender : Male

Imman Zaffrani

Character Name : Sandy

Original Name : Imman Zaffrani

Gender : Male

Bhawna Bhawshar

Character Name : Reporter

Original Name : Bhawna Bhawshar

Gender : Female

Huw Edwards

Character Name : Self (Archive Footage)

Original Name : Huw Edwards

Gender : Male

Barack Obama

Character Name : Self (Archive Footage)

Original Name : Barack Obama

Gender : Male

Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom

Character Name : Self (Archive Footage)

Original Name : Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom

Gender : Female

Geoffrey Lumb

Character Name : Doctor Saunders

Original Name : Geoffrey Lumb

Gender : Male

Myles Olofin

Character Name : Cyclist

Original Name : Myles Olofin

Gender : Male

Ann Queensberry

Character Name : Edith

Original Name : Ann Queensberry

Gender : Female

Jackie Clune

Character Name : Judith Cook

Original Name : Jackie Clune

Gender : Female

Brennan Reece

Character Name : Martin Roberts

Original Name : Brennan Reece

Gender : Male

Elkie Kristine Jeffery

Character Name : A Candy Girl

Original Name : Elkie Kristine Jeffery

Gender : Male

Deborah Rose Watt

Character Name : A Candy Girl

Original Name : Deborah Rose Watt

Gender : Male

Freyja Jane Barter

Character Name : A Candy Girl

Original Name : Freyja Jane Barter

Gender : Male

Paul Bigley

Character Name : Band Leader

Original Name : Paul Bigley

Gender : Male

Isabella Domville

Character Name : Susan Everard

Original Name : Isabella Domville

Gender : Male

Dan Fredenburgh

Character Name : Police Sergeant

Original Name : Dan Fredenburgh

Gender : Male

Stephen Leask

Character Name : Police Officer Robert

Original Name : Stephen Leask

Gender : Male

Bhawna Bhawsar

Character Name : Reporter

Original Name : Bhawna Bhawsar

Gender : Male

Hope Jones

Character Name : Factory Girl

Original Name : Hope Jones

Gender : Male

Ross Carter

Character Name : Normandy Tourist (uncredited)

Original Name : Ross Carter

Gender : Male

Stuart Cooke

Character Name : Journalist (uncredited)

Original Name : Stuart Cooke

Gender : Male

David Evestaff

Character Name : Interviewer (uncredited)

Original Name : David Evestaff

Gender : Male

Jeanette Maskell

Character Name : Ferry Passenger (uncredited)

Original Name : Jeanette Maskell

Gender : Male

Mark Anthony O'Neill

Character Name : Dancer (uncredited)

Original Name : Mark Anthony O'Neill

Gender : Male

Paul Olding

Character Name : Gendarme (uncredited)

Original Name : Paul Olding

Gender : Male

Peter Theobalds

Character Name : Mouthy Paparazzi (uncredited)

Original Name : Peter Theobalds

Gender : Male

Reviews

C

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2023-10-08

This is one of those contemporary, really quite touching, dramas that we won't be able to make for too much longer. It centres around an elderly couple, who have been together for seventy years, and live a semi-independent life in a care home. During a routine chat with their nurses, "Rene" (Glenda Jackson) discovers that her husband "Bernie" (Sir Michael Caine) had wanted to go to the impending celebrations for the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings, but that all the tickets had gone. She makes it pretty clear that if he wants to go, well then he ought to just go! Armed with a only a carrier bag and a few quid, he takes a ferry and heads off on a trip that is going to induce some fairly horrific memories of events in 1945 - which we sparingly see in flashback - but is also going to provide him with a degree of fulfilment and closure on issues that have dogged him ever since. Snag? Well he didn't actually tell anyone he was going, so the home are worried, the police are looking and the media soon get hold of his tale of determination and a degree of celebrity beckons. It's a very characterful story, this, with a gentle chemistry between Jackson and Caine, and also between Caine and his newfound travelling companion "Arthur" (a proud performance from John Standing) as they both have to face their demons past and present. There's plenty of humour - a decent soupçon of sarcasm; along with a spirit of optimism and reconciliation that works well, without drifting into cheesy sentiment, for ninety minutes. It reminded me of the equally poignant BBC drama "A Foreign Field" (1993) and is a good, at times thought-provoking watch.