The Great Escaper - Review

Rating: 4 out of 5

MICHAEL Caine and Glenda Jackson make for a formidable star duo in this emotionally engaging romantic drama, inspired by a true story.

In real-life, the story of 89-year-old Second World War Royal Navy veteran Bernard Jordan made national headlines and touched the hearts of a nation when, in 2014, he snuck out of his seaside care home in Brighton to attend the 70th anniversary celebrations of the D-day landings in Normandy.

Oliver Parker's cinematic re-telling should do the same given the way in which it chronicles Jordan's journey as a veteran, as well as his special relationship with wife, Irene (with whom he lived in the care home).

For while the film is undoubtedly sentimental, there's a surprising grit to it too - one that serves both storylines well and gives both Caine (who announced this would be his last film before retirement) and Jackson (who died not long afterwards) plenty to work with.

In respect of the D-Day element of the story, Parker shows the spirit, respect and camaraderie that exists between the surviving veterans, as well as the trauma that continues to inform their lives.

The film leaves you in no doubt as to the toll of war, and the heartache of losing friends and colleagues, because of the way it is etched across the faces of its performers. Caine quietly displays this internal struggle, while maintaining a consistent air of dignity throughout.

Hence, his interactions with a fellow veteran who befriends him on the ferry crossing over (played similarly well by John Standing) are genuinely affecting, as is an albeit brief but equally meaningful exchange with a younger veteran of more recent conflict (played by Victor Oshin).

But the film really comes into its own during the moments between Caine and Jackson (as Irene), whose relationship is beautifully realised and not afraid to display some of the more challenging elements of old age.

Jackson consistently tugs at the heart-strings, deftly combining her love for Bernard with her own hidden demons, as she reflects on the toll of watching him leave twice. Her scenes with care worker Adele (an excellent Danielle Vitalis) also resonate.

Hence, while there is a sentimental romanticism that lends the film its heart-warming overall vibe, there's also a keen sense of regret informing the characters' journeys, of loss, of the passing of time and a cynicism about the vagaries of old age and the devastation of war on young men and women.

It makes the performances of Caine and Jackson all the more striking, offering them plenty to do, and ensuring that the film serves as a fitting swansong to both of their illustrious careers.

The Great Escaper earns your tears on so many levels.