That was an excellent one.

Surprisingly incoherent and boring

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

The Wooden Horse was one of the daring Prisoner of War escape films. It features the true story of Eric Williams and two others in their escape from Stalag-Lufft III in October of 1943. This was the same POW camp where the Great Escape took place as well and which also got turned into a more famous film.The connection with the more grander film is important as you watch this film you see the prisoners trying to obtain permission from the escape committee with their plans which also occurs in The Great Escape as well.In this film two British prisoners of war decide not to have the usual tunnel escape but build a wooden vaulting horse which could be placed near the wire fence thus reducing the distance they would have to tunnel from this starting point to escape.The first half of the movie is more exciting as they carry out their daring plan with one or two prisoners hiding inside the vault and then digging the tunnel.The second half of the film is once they have escaped they try to get to the safety of Sweden. Here David Tomlinson who plays one of the escapees disappears from the film as we concentrate on Leo Gen and Anthony Steel. This part of the film feels dull, long and oddly lacks tension especially compared to The Great Escape which made this part more thrilling.I always had childhood memories of The Wooden Horse and the escape part. Its nice to be reacquainted with the film again. There are some nice unstated performances, an early appearance by future Oscar winner Peter Finch and parts for some British film stalwarts such as Bryan Forbes.Its just a shame that the latter part of the film lets it down.

THE WOODEN HORSE is part of a cycle of British films produced during the Fifties, in which various struggles during the Second World War were replayed, as a way of reminding audiences to feel proud of their country's achievements at a time when Britain's position in the world was becoming less and less influential. The British Empire was crumbling, rationing was still in place, and while Britain still had a seat at the United Nations table, they had very little power to influence world affairs. In Jack Lee's film, the ingenuity of British POWs is celebrated; they not only have the ability to create something out of nothing, but they always seem able to outwit their German captors (whom they term "Goons"). The characters are penetratingly delineated, with Leo Genn's phlegmatic Pete leading the group of three escapees, contrasted with Anthony Steel's more emotional John Clinton. Nonetheless they make an effective pair, especially when they have to negotiate some difficult situations in the German town of Lubeck. David Tomlinson, normally associated with comic roles (as in THE CHILTERN HUNDREDS), has a rare chance to essay a straight role; this he accomplishes with aplomb, as a cheery officer with a unique capacity to make the best of difficult situations. What makes Lee's film most memorable is the fact that it was filmed on location, using German and Danish civilians in supporting roles; they speak both their native languages as well as English. This gives the film a sense of gritty realism, as well as reminding us about just how dangerous the escape plan, using the wooden horse, actually was. Tonally speaking, THE WOODEN HORSE is very matter-of-fact; director Lee is at pains to show that the entire escape was not about heroes, but was actually the British POW's bounden duty. This gives the film a documentary realism that ensures it stands up well today, over sixty years since it was originally released.

This film is about British prisoners of war from the World War II escaping from a camp in Germany.I find "The Wooden Horse" disappointingly boring. The subject could have been thrilling, suspenseful and adrenaline fuelled, but "The Wooden Horse" is told in a very plain way. It's a collection of plain and poorly told events, with no suspension and thrill. The first half plainly tells how the prisoners of war dug a tunnel, but the events are so plain, with not enough blunders and close shaves to make me on edge. The latter half of the film is even worse, they are just moving from one place to another without any cat and mouse chase. And could the characters talk a bit less and have more action in an action film! I am disappointed by "The Wooden Horse", it wasted the potential to be a great film.

The Wooden Horse is a real life World War Two escape story. Stalag-Luft III is supposed to be escape proof but this is proved wrong by three incredible escapers. The film is divided into two parts. Firstly, the escape from the camp and then the series of adventures while travelling through Germany and occupied Danmark. The method of escape is ingenious; a tunnel built under a vaulting horse that ends under the camp perimeter wire. The escapers of course are all officers (after all this is a Brtish film) and the camp itself has an air of an English public (private) school. The Germans are baited as if they were form masters or prefects. The film follows Eric William's book The Wooden Horse quite closely. There is an omission though. In the book the two escapers played brilliantly by Leo Genn and Anthony Steele meet up with members of the Danish resistance at a secluded farmhouse. One Jewish member of the resistance tells the escapers about the deportation of Jews and how members of the resistance helped Jews get to Sweden. Another member of the resistance tells of The Schalberg Corps an organization of Danish Nazis who the resistance battle with. However, The Wooden Horse is a very good film and well worth seeing.