The W Plan (1930)
A tense WWI spy thriller in which Colonel Duncan Grant (British star Brian Aherne, in his first talking role), parachutes into Germany to gather intelligence on the enemy’s secret ‘W Plan’ and to assist Allied POWs in digging escape tunnels.
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Good story, Not enough for a whole film
Absolutely brilliant
It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.
The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.
An early Victor Saville entry with no hint of song or dance let alone Jesse Matthews. It is in fact a sort of Ashenden-lite, a'spy' story set in the first World War, a conflict in which Saville himself was a participant. Brian Aherne learns from a dying German about something called the W plan, reports it to his superiors, and is sent to obtain what details he can from the mother of the dead man. By a coincidence known only to screenwriters his own finance, Madeleine Carroll is a guest at the house but before you can say 'your papers, plizz' Aherne has been rumbled and sent to that place where all good - or in an inept sense of the word, bad spies go. From then on it's a case of will he be able to foil the cunning German plan. You REALLY don't know the answer.
This film can now be viewed at the BFI South Bank Mediatheque.It is a spy drama.The British become aware ofa plan called The W Plan.They send Brian Aherene into enemy territory by plane.He goes to the home of the author of the plan.The authors wife,very conveniently has a copy of the plan in her desk.Coincidentally Ahernes fiancée,a brunette Madelaine Carroll,is also staying at this house.Aherene makes a copy of the plan on the back of Carrolls photo and tries to make his prearranged rendezvous with the pilot of the plane.In an excitingly staged aerial dogfight the pilot is shot down.Aherene is on the run but is eventually caught by the German Army.Whilst in prison he has a surrealistic dream where he is facing a firing squad who all have a giant W plastered on their faces.The tribunal sentances him to work in the plant where the W plan is being operated.The plant is something out of Metropolis nothing like the real mines.It transpires that the W plan is a series of 5 mines under British trenches all designed to blow simultaneously.When Aherene is put with a party of English POWs,including Gordon Harker,he reveals his true identity.They devise a plan to breach the mine and escape.This they do and Aherene badly wounded gets back to British lines he shows the plan copy to the Officers.at the end he is reunited with Carroll for his wedding.This is a really interesting film and worthy of a viewing if only as proof that British film makers were capable of making more than just quota quickies.