49th Parallel (film)
| 49th Parallel | |
|---|---|
Original Australian film poster | |
| Directed by | Michael Powell |
| Screenplay by | Emeric Pressburger |
| Story by | Emeric Pressburger Rodney Ackland |
| Produced by | Michael Powell |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Freddie Young |
| Edited by | David Lean |
| Music by | Ralph Vaughan Williams |
Production company | Ortus Films |
| Distributed by | General Film Distributors |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 123 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Languages |
|
| Budget | £132,000 |
| Box office | £250,000 (in Britain) $5 million (US/Canada) |
49th Parallel (released in the United States as The Invaders) is a 1941 British epic war drama film, the third made by the team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. It stars Leslie Howard, Laurence Olivier, Anton Walbrook, Raymond Massey, Glynis Johns and Eric Portman. The plot involves a German U-boat crew that is stranded in Canada, and attempts to cross into the then-neutral United States.
The film was conceived as a propaganda vehicle by the British Ministry of Information, intended to sway American involvement in World War II. The title refers to the 49th parallel north circle of latitude, which separates Canada from the United States.
The film was released in Britain on November 24, 1941. It was both a critical and a commercial success, and was one of the highest-grossing British films of 1941. It won the Academy Award for Best Story, and was nominated for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay.