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7.0/10 • 107

1941-11-242h 3m

WarThriller

THE MIGHTEST MANHUNT THAT EVER SWEPT THE SCREEN!

In the early days of World War II, a German U-boat is sunk in Canada's Hudson Bay. Hoping to evade capture, a small band of German soldiers led by commanding officer Lieutenant Hirth attempts to cross the border into the United States, which has not yet entered the war and is officially neutral. Along the way, the German soldiers encounter brave men such as a French-Canadian fur trapper, Johnnie, a leader of a Hutterite farming community, Peter, an author, Philip and a soldier, Andy Brock.

Directors
Michael Powell
Editors
David Lean

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Leslie Howard

    Leslie Howard

    Philip Armstrong Scott

  2. Laurence Olivier

    Laurence Olivier

    Johnnie, the Trapper

  3. Raymond Massey

    Raymond Massey

    Andy Brock

  4. Anton Walbrook

    Anton Walbrook

    Peter

  5. Eric Portman

    Eric Portman

    Lieutenant Hirth

  6. Raymond Lovell

    Raymond Lovell

    Lieutenant Kuhnecke

  7. Richard George

    Richard George

    Kommandant Bernsdorff

  8. Niall MacGinnis

    Niall MacGinnis

    Vogel

  9. Peter Moore

    Peter Moore

    Kranz

Reviews2

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CinemaSerf Avatar

CinemaSerf

Jun 25, 2022

7/10

A quirky war film for various reasons, this one. A Nazi submarine crew are raiding North Atlantic shipping when their submarine is destroyed near the Canadian coast. The crew of survivors - led by a curiously cast Eric Portman - take over an Hudson's bay Company post frequented by a French-Canadian Laurence Olivier and Finlay Currie - a redoubtable Scot who is determined not to to stand for this "invasion". What follows is a sightly haphazard series of stories depicting their attempt to make it back to the Fatherland - by just about every means of transport - barring an hot air balloon - known to man at the time. The last half hour picks up the pace cleverly - with a typically civilised performance from Leslie Howard, as the survivors near their goal, demonstrating that the pen may well be mightier than the sword before a final encounter with Raymond Massey. The cast behind the camera is just as notable - Freddie Young and David Lean (editor) work on Emeric Pressberger's story, under Michael Powell's direction to bring the full effects of the wonderful Canadian scenery; light/shades and hues - as well as a good, taut dialogue - much less trite than in some early, more propagandist efforts.

Media

  • 49th Parallel poster
  • 49th Parallel poster
  • 49th Parallel poster
  • 49th Parallel poster
  • 49th Parallel poster
  • 49th Parallel poster
  • 49th Parallel poster
  • 49th Parallel poster
  • 49th Parallel poster

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
--
Revenue
--
Keywords
canadaairplanenaziescapepropagandaworld war iimountainimpostorwar propagandaimpersonation