It's seldom you meet with a film so full of natural cheer as this one and under the direst circumstances. It's almost like a yarn of Munchhausen all the way, but this is actually a true story, truer than "The Great Escape" some year later, concentrating on the titbits of the adventures of the constantly escaping prisoner sergeant-major Charles Coward (However did he get his name?) and his exploits and mates during the second world war, four years of imprisonment and finally making it just in time for the end of the war. Dirk Bogarde is perfect for the job, all his mates help in keeping up the show whenever necessary, the keyword is inventiveness which is practiced to extreme levels, and there is even a lovely woman with at least a moment's romance by the way. The Germans are not overly ridiculed, only just enough to keep you happy, they actually do their best to keep up war prison standards, although they can't really see the fun the prisoners are having. After 55 years this film is still as fresh and exhilarating as new as if the war just had finished, and it's ideal entertainment for anyone who needs some cheer-up.

THE PASSWORD IS COURAGE is a likable British WW2 movie featuring Dirk Bogarde who gives a winning performance as the indomitable Charles Coward, a man who refused to stay captured by the Nazis after being chucked in a string of POW camps. Like all the best war stories, it's best on a true story too, giving it an added frisson of interest.This film has a noticeably lighter touch than most POW movies and there's plenty of humour arising from the camaraderie between the prisoners. The stand-out set-piece is when a lumber yard is burned to the ground, a sequence that plays out with much hilarity. Bogarde plays his character as an ordinary fellow who just so happens to have such a strong spirit that it refuses to be broken. The escape attempts are well portrayed, especially at the climax which feels like a neat forerunner to THE GREAT ESCAPE.Supporting actors include Richard Marner, of 'ALLO 'ALLO fame; Lewis Fiander, later of DR JEKYLL AND SISTER HYDE; Maria Perschy, who is well known for appearing in Spanish horror of the 1970s; and British character actors Alfred Lynch, Reginald Beckwith, Ferdy Mayne, and Nigel Stock.

This is truly a classic black and white British film and for those that claim it is just a poor version or copy of The Great Escape.maybe people should consider that the film was made and released a year before the great escape.And is in fact more factual than the more popular Hollywood version.For its age the copy of the film is very good and is still a nice and crisp print that shows some fantastic shots.The cast line up is the standard British stock for this era but you can spot many actors who only played extras or very small roles that went on to be stars of British TV and film.

The Password is Courage is another one of those "prisoner of war escape movies" but is not ""Just"" a typical pow escape movie. This movie in particular is one of my all-time favorite movies of this type. Dirk Bogarde portrays a real-life personality in the name of Sergeant Major Coward. I think that Bogardes acting in this film was most excellent and is one reason why this film must be remembered and brought back into mainstream movie watching.This film though is a serious film, also has many comical moments in it as well. One moment I really liked was when the Allied POWs managed to sabotage two German trains by switching their delivery signs around as well as sabotaging parts on the trains to make sure the trains wrecked. Another comical moment is when their camp was almost burnt down to the ground when they made sure a careless German Unteroffizier, who had a routine when he smoked his pipe, that the allied prisoners quickly caught onto and set up an elaborate plan. The plan was that they switched the sand in the Fire-buckets with Petrol--un-beknownst by the German guards.On a particular windy day, the German NCO was careless a usual, by throwing his match into a pile of wood--which immediately started a fire. The POWs then threw the contents of the buckets onto the fire--making it rapidly spread. In short, they almost completed in burning down that camp.This movie was so well made that it really needs to be released in DVD so that we all can enjoy watching it over and over again.