The Last Chance

During the night, a train carrying Allied prisoners of war is bombed in southern Italy, and several prisoners escape into the darkness. English Lieutenant Halliday and American Sergeant Braddock cross paths and decide to team up to survive the unfolding chaos. This escape sets the course for the perilous journey ahead.

Halliday and Braddock form a practical alliance, pooling their skills to navigate through a shifting war zone. They move through rural areas, dodging German patrols and suspicious locals. Their partnership becomes crucial as resources dwindle and danger rises.

The two men ride in a cart loaded with sacks of wheat, and the driver manages to talk Italian soldiers out of inspecting the cargo. They slip along country roads in the hope of reaching safer terrain with supplies intact. They reach a river and split up to search for a boat.

The travelers meet a pretty young woman washing clothes by the river, and they quickly form a rapport. They manage to secure a small boat and begin rowing, but the news that an armistice has been signed forces them to abandon the crossing and rethink their path. They head toward the town, wary of German occupation.

The travelers reach a quiet town that soon comes under German control, signaling the front's advance. The change forces improvisation and prompts consideration of disguises to continue their flight. The mood shifts from cautious flight to urgent survival.

The woman's uncle provides civilian clothes and urges them to sneak aboard a freight train. They successfully board, hoping the disguise will help them slip past German checkpoints. The risk intensifies with every stop and guard rotation.

At a stop, they witness a woman being separated from her husband and loaded away by the Germans. The brutal scene underscores the cruel realities of occupation. The moment strengthens their resolve to keep moving toward safety.

The refugees head into the mountains and encounter a band of partisans who permit them to cross a treacherous bridge. A local Italian warns them not to endanger townspeople. In a nearby church, a priest agrees to help and introduces Giuseppe, the guide.

The priest brings Halliday to the inn and introduces a Polish tailor and his niece, a Belgrade factory worker, a professor, and Frenchwoman Madame Monnier. Frau Wittels and her son Bernard arrive to join the group, while Major Telford hides in the church and urges Halliday to stay with the partisans. The caravan grows, along with the risks.

Radio news announces the liberation of Il Duce by the Germans, provoking fear and distrust. A disgruntled former fascist travels toward the valley to betray the refugees, and that night shooting erupts near the bridge. The priest continues to guide them toward safety, intent on reaching Giuseppe's group.

When the refugees reach Giuseppe's village, they find the Germans there first, and Giuseppe's mother reveals that her son is dead along with the village's men. A villager pleads for mercy and asks that some orphans be saved, and the major reluctantly agrees. The refugees brace for a harsher march into the mountains.

The refugees push into the mountains during a snowstorm and seek shelter in a mountain rescue hut. The aged tailor cannot keep up and prays as the group presses on despite the brutal conditions. They rely on endurance and one another to survive the night.

A German patrol closes the frontier and the group considers their options. Halliday proposes a diversion using the pistol, but Major Telford refuses. The survivors decide to move at night, hoping to slip past patrols.

During a daring escape, Bernard breaks away to draw the Germans away, sacrificing himself for the safety of the others. The others push on through darkness, trying to reach the border before pursuit tightens. The act underscores the human cost of the journey.

The survivors reach Switzerland, though Halliday is shot in the attempt to escape. A Swiss officer authorizes asylum for the refugees, allowing them to stay. In the final scene, they attend Halliday's funeral and reflect on the price of survival and the fragile peace that follows.