Completed - GERMAN, ENGLISH - Documentary - 102 minutes
Investigating common grounds as well as contradictions, filmmaker Werner Schweizer connects Franz von Werra's biography and the one of the actor Hardy Krueger in his cinematic survey.
Year of production : 2002 Director(s) : Werner SCHWEIZER Writer(s) : Wilfried MEICHTRY, Werner SCHWEIZER Cast : Hardy KRÜGER Producer(s) : Werner SCHWEIZER (Dschoint Ventschr), Joachim ORTMANNS
Franz von Werra – fighter pilot for the German Luftwaffe during World War II, gentleman, favourite of the Nazi media, and the only German ever to escape British captivity. During the mid-50's, the spectacular escape to Canada and the USA was made into a film with Hardy Kruger in the leading role. Once again, von Werra became an important role model for young Germans: a courageous man who fends for himself to fight for his own wellbeing – but not on behalf of National Socialistic ideas. In 1941, von Werra lost his life in a mysterious crash. Numerous rumours regarding this incident, as well as his origins – for he was Swiss – developed. Using the feature film “The One that Got Away” as the starting point, film director Werner Schweizer, together with Hardy Krüger, follows the traces of this historical anti type.
Country(ies) : SWITZERLAND, GERMANY