Escape – 1948 | 78 mins | Drama | B&W

Plot Synopsis

This pedestrian remake of Basil Dean’s Escape (1930) is based on John Galsworthy 1926 play on the inflexibility of the legal system. Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s adroit direction and Freddie Young‘s imaginative camerawork brings the story up to date as the dynamic and affable Rex Harrison traverses Devon encountering different classes and varying interpretations of the law.

Matt Denant (Rex Harrison), a former WWII fighter ace, defends a Hyde Park prostitute being manhandled by a policeman and in the ensuing struggle pushes the officer to the floor. The policeman is accidentally killed when he hits his head in the fall and at the subsequent trial Denant is found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to three years in Dartmoor Prison. One fog-bound night, Denant escapes from Dartmoor Prison whilst on the moors with a working party, and is befriended by feisty local Dora Winton (Peggy Cummins), who feeds and clothes him.

He vows never to return to prison and plots to flee the country to France with the assistance of friends at a nearby aerodrome, but is sold out by a hard-up engineer wanting the reward money. On his trail is determined and wily Inspector Harris (William Hartnell), and Denant is again forced to seek the assistance of Dora. He takes refuge in a church as the net tightens but gives himself up rather than have the kindly local parson lie to protect him.