Crossing to Freedom (1989 TV Movie) User Reviews

The pied Piper

[timwils · 8/10 · 12 September 2009]

I was actually in this film, and i played the part of one of the french waiters, in the opening sequence of the film. part of the film was shot on location in northern england.

It was excellent working with peter o-tool. the film centres on the events of some children escaping to Britain- i think?.

i have played in several films as an extra, but the director stone, was an excellent director for the film. The story is a generally good boys film, and i found the shots on location were stunning.

I have always enjoyed peter o tool as an actor, and i was extremely happy to be able to work with him on this film.

Peter O'Toole

[januszlvii · 8/10 · 14 December 2020]

I have seen only three people commented on Crossing To Freedom, but for anyone who wants to see it, you can on YouTube ( although the print is not the best ( misses about 30 seconds and has commercials). But it is well worth seeing. I actually prefer it to the Monty Woolley original. I know Woolley was nominated for an Oscar for the Pied Piper ( the original title)., but he was not the actor Peter O'Toole was ( not even close)., and this version was shot on location in France instead of the 20th Century Fox backlot. For those unfamiliar with the story it is about a 70 year old Englishman ( O'Toole) who is stuck in France when the Germans invade. He hets talked into bringing kids back with him, and he picks up more along the way. He also meets Nicole ( Mare Winningham) who was close to his son who was killed early in the war. The highlight of the movie is how O'Toole's character John Sidney Howard stands up to a Nazi Gestapo Major named Diessen and is able to gain his respect. Spoilers ahead . Diessen had one weakness: A little niece who despite being half Jewish, he actually loved, and because of that and her parents being killed he needed to get her out of the country. He has a brother in Minnesota, and at the time the United States was a neutral country so she could go there. So the deal was Howard and the kids can go but Nicole will be a hostage until his brother gets the little girl. Diessen admits that he and Howard need each other. Howard will fulfill his part of the bargain and Diessen will let Nicole go, otherwise Howard will tell the story and the Nazi's will deal with Diessen harshly for having and saving a Jewish niece. At the very end, all of the kids will actually go to Howard's daughter's until the war's end ( except the German girl of course), and Nicole who has no one will actually go live with Howard, and become a daughter to him. In the final scene you see the German girl, grab and hold Howard's hand. 9/10 stars

good movie

[mmlml · 8/10 · 11 March 2004]

A man brings children into safety; Along the way the group of children grows. At the end he brings a lot of children into safety. Some children are suffering severe from the war. One boy is accused of being a spy, but he talks Dutch. Even a German officer asks to bring his child in safety. And a Jewish boy was added to the group They cross France from the inland to the coast in Western France. They encounter difficulties and are most of the time in a hurry.

What started with 2 children ended with several children They must be careful almost the complete time. They must not speak English; otherwise they may be noticed as British.

Charming Film, Excellent Peter O'Toole, but why was Mare in this?

[richard.fuller1 · 9 September 2002]

Peter O'Toole is an Englishman on the European continent when the war breaks out. He finds himself entrusted to return to small English children when he returns to England to their relations. He crosses paths with Mare Winningham, portraying a French resistant fighter. Gradually one by one, and each child of a different nationality, O'Toole acquires other children who saw their parents killed by the Nazis or in one child's case, the attacking Germans left him behind and O'Toole had to rescue him from the shellshocked citizens who sought to take their rage out on him.

With six children, O'Toole is just about to make his way back to England, when he, Winningham and the young ones are taken captive and brought before a firing squad. O'Toole is called forward and the commanding officer takes him into a small dwelling, upstairs, to a small quiet room. There O'Toole sees the small occupant and hears these words.

"Heil, Hitler."

O'Toole was his usual self, a delight as always, especially in a WWII setting, but why was Mare Winningham in this film as a French resistance fighter? Her 'character' might as well have been diverse persons O'Toole met himself who handed off poor unfortunate children to him.

The story of the children and their international background was a delight and made the story very charming. Up to the final good bye, the film was a delight. You almost got the feel that there should be a sequel.

Excellent movie, good cast, great story - as usual, Peter O'Toole steals the show

[jimsbiz-50669 · 8/10 · 4 December 2022]

I wrote a very similar screenplay in 1978 based on either a true story, or a story that was circulating amongst the 8th U. S. Army Air Corps in England, about an American officer that rescued a group of orphan children after his B-17 was shot down over Belgium. He stole a Nazi plane on the coast of either France, or Belgium, the story, or rumor went, after being assisted by the Belgian underground, and flew it to England.

I wrote the screenplay after hearing the story, and it went the rounds of Hollywood production companies in 1978-84 - then, THIS film came out in 1990 - with some very, very strong similarities - and my agent confessed that the company that produced the film for CBS and Proctor and Gamble, was indeed one of the companies that had my script. I could have filed a law suit making a claim for infringement, but you seldom win those and you are 'black-balled' by ALL the production companies then. So, I passed. My screenplay, 'CHILDREN OF THE FIRE' is STILL making the rounds and I hope one day it will be picked up.