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VON WERRA

By Werner SCHWEIZER

DSCHOINT VENTSCHR FILMPRODUKTION - as PROD

Documentary - Completed 2002

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
- Genres
- Documentary
- Countries
- SWITZERLAND, GERMANY
- Languages
- GERMAN, ENGLISH
- Duration
- 102 mn
- Director(s)
- Werner SCHWEIZER
- Writer(s)
- Wilfried MEICHTRY, Werner SCHWEIZER
- Cast
- Hardy KRÜGER
- Producer(s)
- Werner SCHWEIZER (Dschoint Ventschr), Joachim ORTMANNS
- Synopsis
- 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.