Directed by Leopold Lindtberg, The Last Chance (Die letzte Chance) is a powerful Swiss war drama that blends documentary realism with emotional storytelling. Released in 1945 and produced by Lazar Wechsler for Praxfilm, the film follows Allied POWs and refugees as they attempt to escape Nazi-occupied Italy and cross the Alps into Switzerland. It’s based on true events, and its authenticity is heightened by the fact that several cast members were actual escapees.
Plot Summary
Set in 1943, the story begins with Allied prisoners escaping a bombed Nazi transport train. Lt. Halliday (John Hoy) and Sgt. Braddock (Ray Reagan) team up and make their way north, encountering a diverse group of refugees: a Polish tailor and his niece, a Serbian factory worker, a French widow, and others. As they navigate the dangers of occupied territory, they are aided by Italian partisans and a sympathetic priest. The group’s final challenge is a perilous trek across the snow-covered Alps, where survival depends on unity, courage, and sacrifice.
Cast Highlights
- Ewart G. Morrison as Maj. Telford
- John Hoy as Lt. Halliday
- Ray Reagan as Sgt. Braddock
- Luisa Rossi, Romano Calò, and Germaine Tournier among the multinational ensemble
Notably, the three leads—Morrison, Hoy, and Reagan—were real POWs who had escaped to Switzerland. Morrison even wore the actual clothes he escaped in.
Behind-the-Scenes Trivia
- The film was shot in multiple languages, including English, German, Italian, French, Yiddish, and Polish, reflecting the diversity of its characters
- It won the Grand Prize at the 1946 Cannes Film Festival, later known as the Palme d’Or
- Selected for the Cannes Classics section in 2016, underscoring its enduring legacy
- The film’s realistic tone and use of non-professional actors give it a documentary-like feel, rare for its time
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