DANGER WITHIN

UK, 1958, 101 minutes, Black and white.
Richard Todd, Bernard Lee, Michael Wilding, Richard Attenborough, Dennis Price, Donald Houston, William Franklin, Vincent Ball, Peter Arne.
Directed by Don Chaffey.

Danger Within is a World War Two prisoner of war camp story. It has all the ingredients familiar from the serious presentations of the prisoners of war stories in the early '50s: The Wooden Horse, The Colditz Story, Albert R.N. etc. However, this film comes at the end of the '50s, has a difference. It is also a murder mystery. The film focuses on the informer who is the cause of the deaths of British soldiers attempting to escape.

The film was directed by Don Chaffey, expert in many action features, who directed films in Australia including Ride a Wild Pony, Born to Run, The Fourth Wish. The film was co-written by Bryan Forbes and Frank Harvey. There is a strong cast of British character actors of the '50s.

1. An interesting prisoner of war film? mystery? Portrait of men in war conditions? Tensions in interactions?

2. Black and white photography? The atmosphere of the camp? The editing for pace and tension? The blend of seriousness and humour?

3. The title and the indication of mystery?

4. The group of British soldiers? Their organising themselves in military fashion? The Commander? The various men with their ranks? The leaders and the led? The Escape Committee? The Entertainment Committee? The older officers and their elitism? The blend of seriousness? Humour? The clashes with the authorities, both humorous and serious? The escape attempts? The humour with the sunbathing, football, the rehearsals for Hamlet? The background to the deaths in the tunnel, the informer?

5. How well-written was the mystery: the clues, the deaths, the suspicions, the unmasking of the villain?

6. The gallery of characters: David Baird as the straightforward hero? Huxley as the older officer in charge? Bunter-Philips? and his activities? Captain Byfold and his presence, escape, death? Pat Foster? The older officers like Major Marquand? Dennis Price and his rehearsals and concerts? Tony Long and his place in the group, the informer? The details of life in the camp?

7. The presentation of the authorities, the regime in the camp, the strictness of the Italian officers? The sadistic approach of Captain Benucci?

8. A picture of men in war, their strengths and weaknesses, comradeship, betrayals? The impetus to escape? Honour and loyalty?