Film Of The Week

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 49, 4 February 1949, Page 3

Film Of The Week

“ESCAPE” “Escape,” the 20th Century Fox film now screening in New Zealand, is the story of Matt Denant, an exR.A.F. officer. While strolling through Hyde Park one night, a girl stops him and asks for a light. A policeman comes up and accuses the girl of accosting Matt, and goes to take her in charge. Matt disagrees with the man, and a struggle ensues. The policeman falls to the ground, striking his head as he does so. Later, he dies from the injuries received in his fall. Matt is found guilty of manslaughter, and sentenced to three years in Dartmoor Prison. Seething at the injustice of his conviction, Matt makes up his mind to escape. Under cover of ne of London’s typical dense fogs, he breaks away from the prison, and heads for the moors. 'While trying to elude his captors, he meets Dora Winton, who, when she has heard his story, decides to help him. However, when the plane which he comandeers to enable him to escape, crashes in the woods, Matt is seriously injured, and Dora realises that no matter what he does, there is no escape, and he must give himself up. When she tries-to persuade Matt to listen to reason, he refuses to surrender himself to the authorities, saying that he has nothing to live for, anyway, and that he will go on until he either gains his freedom or meets his death in the attempt. Dora suddenly realises that she has' fallen in love with the convict, and that she must somehow, for his own sake, persuade Matt to return to the prison, to serve his time.

The Cast Rex Harrison (Matt Denant), Peggy Cummins (Dora Winton), Norman Wooland, William Hartnell (the police inspector), Jill 'Esmond and a large supporting cast.