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49th Parallel Details

1941 Certificate U
  • Rated:
  • 60
  • from 681 members

After being sunk in the Gulf of St. Lawrence by the Canadian Air Force, six German U-boat survivors attempt to escape into the United States. Read more

Starring Eric Portman, Laurence Olivier, Anton Walbrook, Leslie Howard
Director Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Genres Action/Adventure, Drama

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49th Parallel cover art

49th Parallel

After being sunk in the Gulf of St. Lawrence by the Canadian Air Force, six German U-boat survivors attempt to escape into the United States.

Starring Eric Portman, Laurence Olivier, Anton Walbrook, Leslie Howard, Raymond Massey
Director Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Studio ITV DVD
Run time DVD: 1 hr 57 mins
Certificate Certificate U
Genres Action/Adventure, Drama
Language DVD: English
Released DVD: 15 Apr 2002
Production year: 1941
Format DVD

  • Critics' reviews (3) of 49th Parallel

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  • 4 stars out of 5

    Sponsored by the Ministry of Information and 18 months in the making, this is one of the best propaganda films produced in Britain during the Second World War. With a stellar cast and a rousing score by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's gripping action drama thoroughly merited its Oscar for best original story and its nominations for best picture and screenplay. Eric Portman gives the finest performance of his career as the officer of a bombed U-boat who has to lead his surviving crew across the Canadian wilderness to neutral America. Leslie Howard adds a dash of humour, while Laurence Olivier's French-Canadian accent has to be heard to be believed.

    • Radio Times
    • Posted 29 Jan 2006
  • 3 stars out of 4

    Episodic, effective propaganda piece which develops some nice Hitchcockian touches and allows a range of star actors to make impact.

    • Halliwell's Film Guide
    • Posted 02 Mar 2006

  • Most helpful member's review of 49th Parallel

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  • 8 out of 8 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    Prime Propaganda From Powell and Pressburger

    Powell and Pressburger worked together on a number of great films- some of which were set during war time (Colonel Blimp, A Matter of Life and Death, Canterbury Tale). But they didn't sucumb to the pressure to create flag waving propaganda movies (if you are looking for that have a wee look at 'Mrs Miniver'). P+P portray 'the enemy' as humans. It's subtle. The 49th Parallel follows a group of German U Boat survivors on a trip over Canada as they try to get to America (at this part of the war they would have been safe if they made it to America). They meet lots of people who have liberal ways of living which they don't understand. It's really an prototype road movie. Well worth a watch (as is any P+P movie).

      • A customer from Falkirk Scotland
      • Posted 09 Jul 2004 11:12

  • Most recent members' review of 49th Parallel

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  • 3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Guest Star Propaganda

    This film, generally overlooked amongst the British War film continent, features a strong roster of film stars, most of which, however, hardly interact with each other! The constant star of the show, Eric Portman, plays a determined but naive Nazi intent on carrying Hitler's message across to Canada.

    Niall Macguiness is particularly poignant in his portrayal of the turnaround Nazi who realises his back-to-basis homespun roots only too late, and Anton Walbrook must be considered in this (and in "The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp") as the greatest sit-down orator there ever was committed to film. The script gradually releases its preachy tones and variety and an assured pace take over. The only disappointment is Larry Olivier whose somewhat suspect accent does him no favours at all. An under-rated minor classic.

      • WBarklam from London
      • Posted 05 Mar 2005 22:10

  • News and features

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    An Ideal Husband

    Gaslight to shine again

    • 26 Jan 2006

    Plans are in the offing for a remake of the classic film Gaslight. The story of a dastardly husband who tries to drive his wife insane was made into a film twice in the 1940s. A first British version, which starred Anton Walbrook (The Red Shoes, 49th Parallel) and Diana Wynyard (Tom Brown's Schooldays, An Ideal Husband), was followed by a US version that earned its star Ingrid Bergman her first Oscar. The third Gaslight will be directed by Brit Joe Wright, who also made this year's Pride &... Read more

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      • After being sunk in the Gulf of St. Lawrence by the Canadian Air Force, six German U-boat survivors attempt to escape into the United States....