None Shall Escape is directed by Andre De Toth, has a screenplay by Lester Cole, is based on a story by Alfred Neumann and Joseph Thann and stars Alexander Knox, Marsha Hunt, Henry Travers and Richard Hale.This film was released just a year before the end of the Second World War. It shows the war being won by the allies and the Nazis going on trial before the world for their horrific crimes.The film opens with several high ranking Nazi officers standing trial. The first one to step before the judges is Wilhelm Grimm(Alexander Knox). Grimm refuses to apologise for his crimes. Through witnesses called to testify we are shown in flashback the terrible things he has done or ordered to be done by others. We also quite interestingly see what led to him becoming such a monster in the first place, he certainly wasn't born evil but he became so over the years.One of those testifying against him include his own brother who Grimm betrayed to the Gestapo. Other witnesses include Grimm's former fiancé Marja (Marsha Hunt)and Father Warecki(Henry Travers)the Priest of the town Grimm commanded during the war.Featuring strong performances and some quite graphic (for the time)and realistic scenes of violence this one stays with you long after it's finished. The entire cast are superb and Knox is excellent in the lead role, I think he's quite an underrated actor who should be better known today.

Not only because this movie was made almost 70 years ago (at the time of writing/watching it the first time), but also because of the structure of the movie. It may feel a bit dated (no pun intended) and the effects certainly are, but the story is what counts and that is pretty strong indeed.The acting is more than good, though you can see where it does lead to most of the time. So while there won't be too many surprises, hopefully the drama itself and maybe a bit of the back-story of this movie will entice you. Don't be appalled by the court aspect of the movie, because very little of it actually plays in it.

Never viewed this film until recently on TCM and found this story concerning Poland and a small town which had to suffer with the Nazi occupation of the local towns just like many other European Cities for example: Norway. The First World War was over and people in this town were still suffering from their lost soldiers and the wounded which War always creates. Alexander Knox, ( Wilhelm Gimm)"Gorky Park" returns from the war with a lost leg and was the former school teacher in town. He was brought up a German and was not very happy with the Polish people and they in turn did not fully accept him either. As the Hitler party grew to power Wilhelm Grimm desired to become a Nazi in order to return and punish this small Polish town for their treatment towards him which was really all in his mind. Marsha Hunt,(Marja Pacierkowski),"Chloe's Prayer", played an outstanding role as a woman who lost her husband and was romantically involved with Whilhelm Gimm. There are many flashbacks and some very real truths about how the Nazi destroyed people's families and their entire lives. The cattle cars are shown in this picture with Jewish people heading to the Nazi gas chambers. If you have not seen this film, and like this subject matter, give it some of your time; this film is very down to earth for a 1944 film and a story you will not forget too quickly.

The only reason I give this movie an 8 out of 10 is because there are few movies, in my opinion, that are perfect. This little B picture is a taut story, well told. I've always been intrigued by Alexander Knox, but have seen him very few movies. Here he plays Wilhelm Grimm, a sad little man who turns into a monster. He betrays everything and everybody without an ounce of remorse. The performance is one of the most chilling performances I've ever seen. Since World War 2, actors who played Nazis or other evil types in films have occasionally been nominated for Oscars. I imagine that since this was made during the war, the Academy felt like honoring a performance like this would have been like honoring evil. But Knox puts in that kind of performance--a man so bitter and consumed by guilt that he thinks nothing of making others suffer. I still can't get over it.Marsha Hunt, who usually plays the filbert gibbet or social butterfly, is cast against type in probably the best performance I've ever seen her give, too. Maybe not Oscar worthy, but the best of her career. Nothing against her; I have enjoyed her in those "slight" roles she often played. But here she proves she up to the task of heavier drama.If you like human drama stories, or stories about the fates of those who suffered at the hands of the Nazis, I highly recommend this fine little film.