Spikeopath Danger Within is directed by Don Chaffey and adapted to screenplay by Bryan Forbes and Frank Harvey from the novel "Death in Captivity" written by Michael Gilbert. It stars Richard Todd, Bernard Lee, Michael Wilding, Richard Attenborough and Dennis Price. Music is by Francis Chagrin and cinematography by Arthur Grant.Northern Italy, 1943, a POW Camp. No matter how intricate the planning, how well executed, escape attempts are met by tragedy as the sadistic camp commander is waiting to not only foil the escape, but to also kill the escapees in cold blood. It can mean only one thing, there's an informer in the camp.Packed with British thespian talent giving good turns, Danger Within serves as both a POW escape drama and a war time mystery thriller. The mystery element is a little undone since the informer is revealed to us the audience at the midpoint, but from there on in the suspense is amped up by way of wondering if the rat will be found, and if the amazing grand escape planned at film's end will succeed. With that, the second half of pic also serves as an escape procedural. Lots going on here, with plenty of slices of British humour into the bargain as well, while some of the dialogue is tough and the odd line is very much of its time; but in a good period setting way (for example; how wonderful to hear the word clot used as an insult again!). 8/10

James Hitchcock Films about prisoner of war camps ("The Wooden Horse", "The Colditz Story", "Stalag 17", "Bridge on the River Kwai", "King Rat") were popular in both the American and British cinemas during the fifties and sixties, and "Danger Within" is another in this tradition. The film is set in a POW camp in Northern Italy during the summer of 1943, a camp which houses British, French and other Allied captives. The British officers come up with a number of ingenious escape plans, but the Italians succeed in foiling them all, and many inmates begin to suspect that there is an informer in their ranks. The prime candidate is a Greek officer, Lieutenant Coutoules, and when he is found murdered there is no shortage of suspects.The film is unusual in that the captors are Italian rather than German or Japanese. In British and American war films of this period (and occasionally in films made during the war itself, such as "Sahara"), Italians were generally portrayed in a sympathetic light, as unwilling partners in the Axis who had been dragged into the war by Mussolini's folly, but in this film they are the villains. (Their German allies only make a very brief appearance). Indeed, the main Italian character, Captain Benucci, is a vicious sadist, quite as brutal as any Nazi. In reality German and Italian guards were generally unwilling to shoot escaping prisoners if they could avoid it- in all the many attempted escapes from Colditz only one British prisoner was shot dead- but Benucci takes a psychopathic delight in gunning down escapers when he could quite easily capture them alive.The film stars a number of leading British actors of the period, including Richard Attenborough, Michael Wilding, Bernard Lee, Dennis Price and Richard Todd, who seemed to star in just about every British war film that didn't star John Mills or Kenneth More. Despite all the talent on display, however, the film is something of a disappointment. I think the main reason is that it introduces a number of serious themes and then fails to develop them properly. After the death of Coutoules it appears to be developing into an unusual murder mystery, but the mystery is quickly cleared up and well before the end of the film we learn the identity of the murderer and his motive. (It has already become apparent that the Greek was not the informer).We also learn who the real informer is, but the film misses the opportunity to examine his motives and the question of what might persuade a man to betray his country in this way. Another potentially interesting theme which is not explored is the division among the British officers between those who are keen to escape as soon as possible and those who prefer to sit out the war in the safety of the camp. The former regard the latter as dishonourable and the latter regard the former as foolhardy. These potentially interesting themes, however, are never explored properly, being subordinated to an implausible "Boy's Own" ending in which Benucci and the traitor get their come-uppance and the whole of the camp make a mass breakout under cover of watching a production of "Hamlet". Not, by any means, as good a film as it could have been. 5/10

ronevickers This is an absorbing, exciting and thoroughly entertaining British POW drama which has a cast that reads like a veritable who's who of British character actors. Not one of them disappoints either, and there are especially sterling performances from Richard Todd, Bernard Lee and Richard Attenborough. In fact, it's a perfectly casted film which holds attention throughout, and has a plot which moves along nicely to a clever and quite novel conclusion. Although there are scores of similar films made on the subject, this is definitely one of the very best and, anyone who has not yet seen it will not be disappointed. Highly recommended!

diva10155 It never ceases to amaze me the truly wonderful films that you find if you venture from the mainstream. This is one of the greatest finds I have come across in a while.A classic cast of Richard Todd, Richard Attenborough, Bernard Lee, Vincent Ball and Dennis Price are holed up in a Prisoner of War camp in Italy. They struggle against a sadistic camp Capitano (Peter Arne), the impending threat of a German takeover of the camp, internal personal clashes and a traitor in their midst as they try to escape. It sounds like heavy going but with a tight, often witty script and magnificent performances this is simply rivetting viewing. Richard Todd and Richard Attenborough (both underrated actors) especially shine out for their performances.And there is the bonus of seeing a frighteningly young and skinny Michael Caine in a bit part!