FEATURE

For three old friends it started with the excitement of restoring Germany’s dignity. Five years later, two of them are reunited in a Welsh POW camp; it was now about where their loyalties lay. Was it to their country, their future or to each other? For the British Government it was simply about covering up one of the most embarrassing events of the War. Max Klein has led a privileged, charmed life – through a time that luck ran out for a lot of people. A brief but spectacular career in the Luftwaffe had ended in the Kent countryside and he has spent the rest of the war in relative comfort. Now with the end of the War in sight Klein is happy to coast along until he can follow his family’s money to America.

Looking back, perhaps the clues were there but Klein is surprised to find his old friend Goltz has risen up the ranks of the SS. With the camp quickly becoming a micronism of the war – a small number of SS ruthlessly controlling the rank and file – Goltz cannot understand why Klein has no interest in joining the escape. Klein realises Goltz is beyond redemption when he orders the execution of a prisoner for failing to send a birthday card to Hitler. Klein’s comfortable existence comes to an end when the third friend arrives. Muller has drawn the shortest straw of the three of them. Five years of war has sent him over the edge. He’s not capable of looking after himself let alone escaping but Muller is determined to get back to his family – especially when the British give out the news about Dresden.

A selfless act may be out of character but Klein decides to make the break and get Muller home. As the largest manhunt in British history swings into place can Klein and Muller ride their luck? And to what extent will the British Government go to preserve the proud record that no Germans ever got away?

Producer: Hywel George
Writer: Peter Phillips
Director: Jason King

Length: 100 minutes
Format: 35 mm
Budget Estimate: £4m (sterling)

Development Status

Book (The Great German Escape by Peter Phillips, Seren 2005) optioned. Treatment produced. Director (Jason King) attached. Development funding committed, in principle, from the Welsh Media Agency and UK Film Council.

Available to download from this on-line version of the catalogue.

Full Treatment

Director’s Statement