Despite really liking the work of Virginia McKenna and Peter Finch, I never saw, or, even knew of this movie until yesterday!?!?Filmed mainly on location in Malaya (also, the United Kingdom and Australia), this movie (story) depicts just how kind and rotten people can be towards one another during a military invasion...how desperation can bring out the best and worst in people.The movie immediately grabs your interest by forcing you to decide whether the Japanese did these women and children a favor by separating them from their men who're sent to a prison camp (history buffs know how Japanese prison camps were); or, were cruel and sadistic by giving them what seems like freedom, but, sentencing them to an endless plight of attrition where "survival of the fittest" applies all-too-well.Much like "Lord of the Flies," these women begin forming somewhat of a pecking-order where Jean Paget (Virginia McKenna) is obviously the leader of the bunch; but, how strong many of the other women are. Also, how weak one is by saving herself by becoming a collaborator.Joe Harmon (Peter Finch) is a captured Australian POW who takes a great interest in helping these women, especially Paget, and, how he risks his life to do so.There's even a sympathetic Japanese sergeant who's escorting the women and children along their trek, and, helping them. They, in turn, help him.I could write much more, but, this is as much as I feel like writing because I don't wish to ruin any details for the viewer. I choose to keep this a movie review, not a movie report.A great movie based on a true story.

Just flipping and found film on TCM. I had never heard of it. A pleasant surprise, McKenna stood out, liked her from Born Free. The book might be interesting to read. Thank you TCM.

I have the movies "Three Came Home" and "Paradise Road". Both are great movies but when I found this movie I knew I had found something special! I have watched it several times since I got it about two weeks ago and I can't seem to get enough of this movie. Peter Finch and Virginia McKenna are wonderful and the chemistry between them is amazing. We certainly did not treat the Japanese or any of our prisoners of war the way our ours ( English,American,or any of our Allies)were treated. I will not tell about the movie, everyone else has, but I can tell you to buy this movie. You will not regret it you'll be so glad you did. Whoever put this movie on DVD thank you, thank you!

This is a moving film with a stunning performance by Virginia McKenna. It also has Peter Finch in a portrayal of what must be the quintessential Australian character of the period.The film is told in flashback as Virginia McKenna's character, Jean Paget, goes back to Malaya after WW2 to help the villagers who saved her life. We learn that Jean was captured there by the Japanese along with a group of other British women and children.They are sent from town to town on foot. However, no Japanese will take responsibility for them - they walk hundreds of miles and many die. They encounter an Australian, Joe Harman, played by Peter Finch, who finds them food and medicine. Finally, the survivors see out the rest of the war in a Malay village. After the war, Jean travels back to Malaya and then to Australia to learn of Joe's fate.I saw this film in a packed cinema in Sydney when it was first released in 1956. I was quite young, but there would no doubt have been many in the audience who had first-hand experience of war with the Japanese, including my father. The film resonated with Australians who did not feel great love for the Japanese at the time, mainly due to their treatment of prisoners of war.Also at that time, Australians were rarely depicted on the screen, but Aussie, Joe Harman, has a key role, which accorded with the idealised national character of the day, unfortunately including his use of derogatory terms for native peoples, common at the time.Although much of the film was shot in the studio, there was enough location shooting in Malaya and Australia to give it a feeling of authenticity.It is a harrowing story with many heartbreaking scenes. It vividly captures the fall of empire as the Japanese supplant the British in Malaya, and humiliate them in front of their former colonial subjects. The scenes of the women and children trudging along holding their meagre possessions or the little girl looking back as she leaves a beloved rocking horse show their comfortable lifestyles torn asunder.Jean Paget emerges as one of the strong characters of the group. This is such a truthful performance by Virginia McKenna who looks beautiful even though she is covered in sweat and dirt for much of the film.The story is fictional. It is based on Neville Shute's novel, which he based on the plight of a group of Dutch women in similar circumstances in Sumatra. However, it is possible they didn't actually have to walk everywhere. In that case does the film slander the Japanese?Fresh in people's minds when the film came out, was the knowledge that the Japanese had carried out a number of death marches in the Philippines and Borneo as well as atrocities on the Thailand-Burma Railroad. Japanese troops had also been involved in the massacre of prisoners of war, nurses and tens of thousands of Chinese civilians in Singapore and elsewhere.The events in "A Town Like Alice" may be fictionalised but they fit the modus operandi. The militaristic Japanese regime of the time looked with contempt on people who surrendered in war, and this often manifested itself in cruel treatment.Although the Australian-made mini-series with the charismatic Bryan Brown and luminous Helen Morse brought more of the book to the screen, I don't think it diminishes this version at all - it is still unforgettable.