49TH Parallel (1941) DVD Leslie Howard, Laurence Olivier

49th Parallel (1941) Black and white Approx. 116 min. Shown in original 1.37:1 aspect ratio Playable in North America (the US, Canada, Mexico, etc.) With optional English subtitles. Beautiful print!

Starring: Leslie Howard, Laurence Olivier, Anton Walbrook, Raymond Massey, Glynis Johns, Eric Portman, Niall MacGinnis, and Finlay Currie. Original Story and Screenplay by Emeric Pressburger. Scenario by Rodney Ackland and Emeric Pressburger. Directed by Michael Powell.

In the early days of World War II, a German U-boat is sunk in Canada's Hudson Bay. Hoping to evade capture, a small band of German soldiers led by commanding officer Lieutenant Hirth attempts to cross the border into the United States, which has not yet entered the war and is officially neutral. Along the way, the German soldiers encounter brave men such as a French-Canadian fur trapper, Johnnie (Laurence Olivier), a leader of a Hutterite farming community (Niall MacGinnis), Peter, an author (Leslie Howard), Philip and a soldier, (Raymond Massey) Andy Brock.

“DWARFING THE IMAGINATION IN SCOPE...IN SUSPENSE...IN THRILLS...A galaxy of stars...sweeping across our continent...in the greatest manhunt of all time!”

Anton Walbrook as "Peter" donated half his fee to the International Red Cross. Raymond Massey, Laurence Olivier and Leslie Howard all agreed to work at half their normal fee, because they felt it was an important propaganda film. TCM observed that "One of the reasons for the movie's high quality is the superb ensemble cast, most of them major British stars working for drastically reduced wages because they believed in the film".