The Purple Plain (1954)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Robert Parrish

Writers:

H.E. Bates (novel)
Eric Ambler (screenplay)

Release Date:

26 November 1954 (Finland)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | War | Action

Tagline:

HIS PEAK OF ADVENTURE! (original print ad - all caps)

Plot Keywords:

Widower | WWII | Plane Crash | Survival | Military

Awards:

Nominated for 4 BAFTA Film Awards.

Cast

Gregory Peck	...	Squadron Leader Bill Forrester
Win Min Than	...	Anna
Brenda De Banzie	...	Miss McNab
Bernard Lee	...	Dr. Harris
Maurice Denham	...	Blore
Lyndon Brook	...	Carrington
Anthony Bushell	...	Col Aldridge
Josephine Griffin	...	Mrs. Bill Forrester
Ram Gopal	...	Mr. Phang

Runtime:

USA:100 min | UK:100 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Iceland:12 | West Germany:12 (f) | USA:Approved (PCA #17358) | Spain:13

Filming Locations:

Elephant Pass, Sri Lanka

Company:

Two Cities Films

Unusual, well written, acted and produced love/war movie.

This is a Rank Company (British) medium budget production of a post war H. E. Bates novel. Well directed by Robert Parrish, the screen writing by Eric Ambler is quite good. It was shot on site in, what was then, Ceylon. (Same location as "Bridge on the River Kwai")

The young Gregory Peck plays Bill Forrester a Canadian pilot in the RAF serving in far off Burma in the closing months of WWII. He flies a Mosquito, two seat, fighter bomber. (The actual aircraft was provided through the cooperation of the RAF and repainted in accurate camouflage and markings, for once.) Forrester, it seems, has gone "round the bend" after losing his new wife in the Blitz. He's self destructive, wanting to end it all in combat. "You'd think that would be easy in a war", he explains to Anna, "but I just kept getting medals instead." Anna is a small, slim, pretty teacher, played very well by Win Min Than, a Burmese actress (how refreshing). They, of course, fall in love (It's a MOVIE, folks) and his life really seems to be turning around. But, on a routine flight, he and two others go down in a very remote desert area of Burma's central plain (hence, the title). From there on we have a rather good, believable survival saga.

The English love eccentric characters and this story has several, all well depicted by some of those fine performers who bounce back and forth between the British "legitimate" stage and cinema. Watch for Brenda De Banzie, who plays Miss McNab, an elderly missionary. (Ya couldn't miss her!)

The Purple Plain is a good movie, a fine movie really. Not too heavy, it's historically accurate with good production values. Forrester's growth curve coming out of his personal hell is quite interesting. I found the depiction of the native Burmese was respectful without being condescending. For instance, the love between Bill and Anna is portrayed in a very reserved manner, as it would be between a Westerner and an Asian woman in real life, All in all, the story line and performances are very believable and enjoyable. I can recommended The Purple plain, if YOU can find it.