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Before Captain Tom Moore became the hero of the pandemic, there was Bernie Jordan – the 89-year-old Second World War veteran who stole hearts and headlines on a historic day in June 2014.
As Barack Obama led commemorations of the 70th anniversary of D-Day, it was Bernie’s adventure that dominated the
front pages.
Without telling staff at his Sussex care home, he made his own way to northern France to honour fallen comrades.
Now, two wonderful performances have transformed this patriotic true story into a touching romance. Sir Michael Caine stepped out of retirement to play Bernie, with the late Glenda Jackson, in her final screen performance, playing his terminally ill wife Rene.
In a wonderful early scene in their apartment in a Hove care home, they seem to share an almost telepathic mutual understanding. So, when Bernie learns he was too late with his application for the Royal British Legion trip to Normandy, they both know what will happen next.
“I couldn’t leave you all on your own,” says the cockney former Royal Navy officer. Unless you have to,” replies his ailing wife.
So with his walking stick in hand and a change of clothes in a carrier bag, the steely old timer makes his early morning escape.
On the ferry, Bernie meets another veteran, well-spoken former RAF man Arthur (John Standing). Their accents couldn’t be more different but the pair bond over shared traumas.
As Bernie lays an old ghost to rest, flashbacks detail how he met Rene 60 years earlier, and show his memories of the beach landings.
There was an outbreak of sniffles in the cinema as Bernie and Arthur encountered a group of German veterans in a Normandy pub. When Bernie was reunited with Rene, the rustling of hankies turned into a chorus of whimpers, moans and outright sobs.
The Great Escaper, Cert 12A, In cinemas now
