A very ahead-of-its-time drama, Frieda was a heartfelt attempt by Ealing Studios to explore themes of reconciliation and acceptance in the immediate aftermath of WWII.

At the end of WWII Frieda (Mai Zetterling), a German girl, helps Robert (David Farrar) to escape from a German prisoner-of-war camp. In return he marries her so she can obtain a British passport, even though he does not love her. When returning to Robert’s small English hometown, Frieda is met with hostile anti-German sentiment which is only worsened when her brother (Albert Lieven), a former Nazi and now Polish soldier arrives. What follows is a terrible awakening for Frieda who, deeply in love with her husband, cannot accept when Robert turns against her.

Frieda was produced by Michael Balcon for Ealing Studios, directed by Basil Dearden (Victim, The Blue Lamp), and introduced Swedish star Mai Zetterling, who would go on to become a respected director herself. Frieda also stars David Farrar (Went The Day Well?), Glynis Johns (Mary Poppins), Flora Robson (Fire Over England) and Albert Lieven (The Life And Death of Colonel Blimp).