Michael Caine & Glenda Jackson in ‘The Great Escaper’ Dramedy Trailer

Michael Caine & Glenda Jackson in ‘The Great Escaper’ Dramedy Trailer

by Alex Billington
July 25, 2023
Source: YouTube

“If you want to honor your friend, Bernie… You’ve spent 70 years loving me. We have never wasted one second of our time together.” Pathe has revealed a trailer for a British dramedy titled The Great Escaper, based on a true story from a few years ago. The feel-good film will open in UK cinemas this fall, but there’s still no US release date set yet. In the summer of 2014, Bernard Jordan staged a “great escape” from his care home to join fellow war veterans on a beach in Normandy, France, commemorating their fallen comrades at the D-Day Landings 70th anniversary. The legendary Michael Caine stars as Bernie, which is pretty much perfect casting. Bernie’s adventure, spanning a mere 48 hours, also marked the culmination of his 60-year marriage to Rene – The Great Escaper celebrates their enduring love but always with an eye to the lessons we might learn from the Greatest Generation. Also starring Glenda Jackson, John Standing, Danielle Vitalis, Donald Sage Mackay, Laura Marcus, and Ian Conningham. Well this looks wonderful, with another excellent performance from Caine, even though he’s 90 years old as well. This one is worth a watch.

Here’s the official UK trailer (+ poster) for Oliver Parker’s The Great Escaper, direct from YouTube:

In 2014, Bernard Jordan (Michael Caine) made global headlines. He had staged a “great escape” from his care home to join fellow war veterans on a beach in Normandy, commemorating their fallen comrades at the D-Day Landings 70th anniversary. It was a story that captured the imagination of the world as Bernie embodied the defiant, “can-do” spirit of a generation that was fast disappearing. But of course, it wasn’t the whole story. It was an inspirational but sanitised retelling of one man’s need to come to terms with the lasting trauma of war. The Great Escaper is directed by British filmmaker Oliver Parker, director of the films Othello, An Ideal Husband, The Importance of Being Earnest, Fade to Black, I Really Hate My Job, St. Trinian’s & St Trinian’s 2, Dorian Gray, Johnny English Reborn, Dad’s Army, and Swimming with Men previously. The screenplay is written by William Ivory. It’s produced by Robert Bernstein and Douglas Rae. Pathe UK will release Parker’s The Great Escaper in UK cinemas starting on October 6th, 2023 in the fall.

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