Password is Courage, The

The movie opens with Allied POWs marching beside a river/lake. Could this be The Lake, Moat Mount which is very near to Scratchwood where other filming was done, it certainly has similar characteristics. However, Britmovie Forum (Kevin Daley) says that the early filming was was done in Hadley Wood, Barnet. Monken Hadley Common Website talks about Folly Bridge with masonry parapets. Does that in tpic003 help? Mark Littlefield recognises the scenes and confirms the location as Jack's Lake in Hadley Woods, Barnet. (RL)

As the credits roll, the camera follows the POWs around the banks of the river/lake. Jack's Lake, Hadley Woods, Barnet says Mark Littlefield. (RL)

As the Title shows on the screen, we see the POWs moving from the river/lake towards an opening. The post visible on the left helped Kevin Daley to identify this location as the bridge over Pymmes Brook at Hadley Common in Hertfordshire. From across the water the bridge also appears in 'Go to Blazes'.

Whilst the credits continue to roll, the POWS march along the roadway through the clearing.

Carrying along the roadway, the POWs pass a gated entrance.

Having escaped from the marching POWs, Sergant-Major Charles "Charlie" Coward (Dirk Bogarde) is seen approaching a farm house looking for shelter.

Next we see two German Officers who have arrived with injured German Infantrymen, walk up to the same farmhouse that Charlie has just found.

Having been recaptured by the Germans, Charlie and other POWs are feerried by train to their POW camp. This tank engine and cattle trucks was filmed at Scratchwood Sidings on the east side of the Midland main line, roughly where the M1 now crosses just south of the Elstree tunnels.

An ammunition train passes the POW train and the POWs set fire to it by throwing lighted straw into the passing wagons. This was filmed at Scratchwood sidings.

Eventually the POWs are interned in a prison camp A lot of action in the movie takes place within the prison camp, including setting fire to it. (This is likely to be a set built somewhere). Christopher Matheson brings to our attention an article in the 'Liverpool Echo' 2nd March 1962 wherein the writer states "The stalag in which I was temporarily incacerated was at Thornwood Common, near Epping, Essex. It is a former Army camp which the rolling Stones, Andrew and Virginia, have taken over to make a film called 'The Password is Courage'. The camp was also seen in 'Battle of Britain'. (RL)

The main square of the prison camp. See previous capture. (RL)

Charlie manages to get some kind of permission set up with the prison camp Kommandant, that allows him to travel outside of the camp into town. Here we see him approaching an Opticians. 19 Whielden Street in Amersham, Buckinghamshire. An interesting history of the property (excluding its use in the film!) can be read at http://amershamhistory.info/old-town/whielden-st-west/15-23-whielden-st/ (RL)

Looking south west along Whielden street, the scene is still much the same in Antony Blair's modern view.

Charlie enters the opticians and waits inside. The properties diagonally opposite 19 Whielden Street in Amersham can be seen through the shop window. (RL)

The view across the street by Antony.

Having met with Irena (Maria Perschy), a member of the local Resistance, they leave the Opticians. Whielden Street, Amersham in Buckinghamshire. (RL)

Antony Blair took this wider shot of the street.

Both Charlie and Irena walk along the street chatting having exited the path from St. Mary's Church. This is Church Street in Chesham, looking east. (RL)

A quieter view of same stretch of street captured by Antony.

Continuing to walk and chat, we get a clear view of the street. Church Street, Chesham in Buckinghamshire. (RL)

Antony reverts to monochrome to match this location.

Having rounded the corner, they decide to part company. Church Street, Chesham, outside number 73 and looking east. (RL)

An almost identical shot from Antony Blair some 57 years later, with a splash of colour.

Next we see the POWs working inside a train shed, supposedly repairing trains, but are actually sabotaging them. The train shed was on BR London Midland Region at Cricklewood MPD.

Outside we see German Soldiers and POWs with a very British looking Steam Locomotive in the background!

Back in the village we see a German Officer reporting to two Gestapo men after seeing Charlie. Church Street in Chesham, Buckinghamshire looking north back towards the side of no. 73 (RL)

Luckily, there's no sign of any Nazis in Antony Blair's shot to ruin the scene today.

Having escaped the Gestapo men in the village, Charlie, in a German Officers uniform, looks for a means to get to get back to the prison camp. Milespit Hill, opposite Mill Hill Village pond, London NW7. (RL)

At least some of the old remains. (RL)

Charlie steals a bicycle and makes his escape. An almost exact angle also seen in "Sky Bike" (Capture 10) some 5 years earlier. Milespit Hill, opposite Mill Hill Village pond, London NW7. (RL)

Yes, it is as idyllic as it looks. (RL)

Having escaped from the prison camp, much in the vein of "The Great Escape", Charlie makes his way to the railway station. IMDB.com states that this is Radlett Station. Martin Snow confirms this as Radlett, with the postbox in 'cunning disguise'. (RL)

On the platforms Irena meets up with Charlie. A very British looking train then arrives complete with British Railway built MkI coaching stock, at this "German" railway station. The footbridge certainly looks right for Radlett. (RL)

Charlie and Irena arrive at a 'German Hauptbahnhof'. It is London Bridge Railway station Platform 16 as was in 1962, but became Platform 12 in the 1974 modernisation of the station and now demolished. The overall station roof gives the location away.

Making their towards the ticket barrier.

Panning back towards Irena and Charlie we see a typical Souhern Railway Train in the far background.

After Charlie walked through the ticket barrier, Irena follows closely behind having passed a British Railway Standard Class 4MT Steam Locomotive, complete with German style smoke deflectors [correctly identified by David Howlett.]

Here we see Charlie waiting for Irena in the heavily disguised London Bridge Railway Station.

Again we see Charlie walking along. The void in the background is where London Bridge Sation was bombed in World War 2. The London Bridge Terminus Hotel was destroyed as was this part of the train shed roof. This was never repaired and when modernised in 1974, this was the site for the Post Office area alongside Platform 13. It was also the reason why platforma 14, 15 & 16 were shorter.

The Germans suddenly realise that there was something wrong with Charlie's papers.

Having escaped again, Charlie and Corporal Bill Pope (Alfred Lynch), pose as workers at a bombed site. The Literary Norfolk website (http://www.literarynorfolk.co.uk), under TV and film Locations, states, "Password is Courage, The (1962). Starred Dirk Bogarde and made use of the STANTA Battle area near Thetford." This could possibly be the STANTA battle field at Thetford, Norfolk.

Some American soldiers pull up and chat with Charlie and Bill. STANTA Battle Area is the Stanford Training Area. During the Second World War a battle training area was required and a "German style" village. So the Defence Ministry took control of and evacuated six villages, namely Buckenham Tofts, Langford, Standford, Sturston, Tottington and West Tofts. The whole area was used for D-Day training.

In the ruins, Charlie and Bill find a Fire Engine and uniforms and decide to use this to make they escape easier. This view shows abandoned ruins, again, possibly at STANTA, Thetford, Norfolk.

Charlie and Bill come across a German convoy, but are flagged through as they are in a Fire Engine.

Having cleared the convoy, Charlie and Bill are off to freedom and the horizon. This looks very much like STANTA, Thetford, Norfolk.