What Is Very Important Person About?
The premise of Very Important Person in 230 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the thick of World II, brilliant but cantankerous scientist Sir Ernest Pease is sent on a daring raid to test his latest radar prototype. When his bomber is hit, he is forced to abandon the aircraft and parachute into hostile territory, where he is taken prisoner and placed in a German POW camp. Assuming the guise of Lieutenant Farrow, the scientist finds himself thrust into a world of barbed wire, watchful guards, and the cramped camaraderie of fellow officers far from home.
The camp’s British inmates form a colorful tapestry of personalities: the devout and wry Jimmy Cooper, the dead‑pan undertaker‑in‑disguise ‘Jock’ Everett, and the inventive, stubborn ‘Bonzo’ Baines. Their daily rhythms are punctuated by suspicion and whispered theories, as the newcomers’ flawless German and mysterious background immediately raise questions of espionage. Jimmy Cooper’s trademark humor softens the tension, providing a light‑hearted counterpoint to the ever‑present danger that hangs over the prisoners’ heads.
Against this backdrop of wartime austerity, the film balances a sober, gritty atmosphere with a distinctly British wit. It explores themes of identity and duty, asking how a man accustomed to the quiet of a laboratory copes when thrust into the chaotic theater of war. The interplay between Sir Ernest Pease’s razor‑sharp intellect and the eclectic group of inmates creates a fertile ground for intrigue, camaraderie, and the quiet resilience that defines survival behind enemy lines.
What Happens in Very Important Person?
The complete story of Very Important Person, from the first scene to the last, in 627 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 6 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Sir Ernest Pease, James Robertson Justice, a brilliant but acerbic scientist, is the centerpiece of a television program based on This Is Your Life, and the show moments place him back among old friends. He remains oddly detached from one figure in particular—the senior British Army officer he once knew—and the program nudges us toward a memory that refuses to surface. As the lights dim and the audience watches, a vivid flashback unfolds the moment when war, secrecy, and an extraordinary plan pull Pease into a perilous chain of events.
In 1942, Pease oversees vital aircraft research during the Second World War. To gain first‑hand insight into the environments where his equipment will operate, he must accompany a bomber mission incognito. To preserve his cover, he travels as Lieutenant Farrow, James Robertson Justice, a Royal Navy public relations officer. The mission veers off course when the bomber is struck over Germany, and against a crewman’s warning, Pease is sucked out of the plane through a breach in the hull, only to parachute to the ground and survive the fall.
Captured and placed in a prisoner-of-war camp that houses many Royal Air Force officers, Pease initially arouses suspicion because of his flawless German. His true identity eventually comes to light to Group Captain Travers, Norman Bird, the senior officer in the camp, who recognizes Pease’s importance and quickly makes his escape a priority for the camp’s escape plot. Within Pease’s shared hut, his fellow inmates include Jimmy Cooper, Leslie Phillips, a devout man of faith; “‘Jock’ Everett,” Stanley Baxter, a West London undertaker in disguise, and “‘Bonzo’ Baines,” Jeremy Lloyd, a resourceful and stubborn inventor. The mix of wit, courage, and a dash of desperation sets the stage for a daring if risky plan.
Pease is offered a dramatic route to freedom: a tunnel escape with two other prisoners. He doubts that the pair will stay free for long, and indeed they do not. Yet Pease devises a more intricate scheme, intending to vanish after a staged escape and then walk out of the camp hidden among Swiss Red Cross observers. The plan hinges on Everett masquerading as Major Stampfel and escorting the delegation in disguise. An escape committee led by Wing Commander Piggott, John Le Mesurier, questions the feasibility of such a bold ruse, but Pease remains determined to see it through, convinced that a careful ruse will yield a safe passage home.
The plan nearly collapses at the last moment when a sharp-eyed inmate, known as Grassy Green, is revealed to be an undercover Luftwaffe officer. He takes the group at gunpoint but mistakes Everett for Stampfel, and the mistaken confrontation is narrowly resolved. The misstep is resolved, and Pease, Cooper, and Baines manage to slip away from the camp and begin the long trek back toward safety.
Back in the present, the television program resumes, and Pease is rejoined with the people he left behind—Baines, now a leading designer of women’s foundation garments; Cooper, a missionary serving in India; Everett, a West London undertaker; and Stampfel, who has since become a popular entertainment manager at a British holiday camp. The life paths of these once‑inmates, shaped by wartime escape and secrecy, reveal how a cast of inmates and friends can be transformed by experience, duty, and the quiet kindness of those who believed in a chance for freedom.
This tale blends historical echoes with a tightly plotted wartime escape, anchored by Pease’s sharp intellect and his willingness to bend rules for a greater aim. The film’s strain remains human—an officer who must choose between personal identity and the broader mission of survival, and a group of unlikely allies whose fates intertwine as they navigate the dangers of a war that demands both cunning and courage.
Very Important Person Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
13 key events in the order they happen, from “Present-day This Is Your Life reunion” to “Final image: memory and reverberations”. 13 events name a place, across 9 locations.
- 1
Present-day This Is Your Life reunion
Sir Ernest Pease is the subject of a television program based on This Is Your Life, where he is re-united with old acquaintances. He does not remember the senior British Army officer he is shown with, which triggers a flashback. The room is tense as memories are stirred and questions about his past begin to surface.
When:Present day Where:Television studio
- 2
1942: Pease's secret wartime mission
In 1942, Pease is in charge of crucial aircraft research and must see the environment in which his equipment will operate. To do so without revealing his identity, he travels on a bomber incognito as Lieutenant Farrow, a Royal Navy public relations officer. The mission requires him to balance secrecy with hands-on observation.
When:1942 Where:RAF base / bomber over Europe
- 3
The bomber is hit and Pease is ejected
The bomber is struck over Germany, and despite a crewman's warning, Pease is sucked out through a hole in the aircraft. He parachutes to the ground and survives the harrowing escape. The peril marks the true start of his POW ordeal.
When:1942 Where:Over Germany
- 4
Captured and imprisoned among RAF officers
Pease is captured and sent to a prisoner of war camp largely populated by Royal Air Force officers. His fluency in German raises suspicion that he might be a spy, which complicates his status. Group Captain Travers learns his true importance and makes his escape a top priority.
When:1942-1943 Where:Prisoner of War camp, Germany
- 5
New allies in the hut
Within the camp, Pease shares a hut with Jimmy Cooper, Jock Everett, and Bonzo Baines. They become his companions and help him endure the captivity as plans for possible escape begin to form. The camaraderie strengthens as the men learn about each other's backgrounds.
When:1942-1943 Where:POW camp hut
- 6
A plan emerges: fake escape and identity swap
Pease proposes a daring plan: to stage a fake escape, hide for two weeks, then walk out disguised as Swiss Red Cross observers with Cooper and Baines. Everett would escort the group by impersonating Major Stampfel. The plan hinges on convincing the Germans that Pease has truly escaped.
When:1942-1943 Where:POW camp
- 7
Escape committee's doubts and Pease's resolve
The escape committee, led by Wing Commander Piggott, doubts the feasibility of Pease's plan. Pease remains determined to carry it out, convinced that a bold move offers the best chance for freedom and to outsmart the guards. The tension between caution and audacity runs through their debates.
When:1942-1943 Where:POW camp
- 8
Grassy Green nearly foils the plan
As the plan approaches execution, Grassy Green, a shrewd undercover Luftwaffe intelligence officer, discovers the ruse. He confronts the party at gunpoint, mistaking Everett for Stampfel, and the moment nearly collapses the escape. The threat is neutralized, but the danger remains.
When:1943 Where:POW camp
- 9
The breakout and journey home
Pease, Cooper, and Baines manage to walk out of the camp and begin their journey back toward safety. They navigate the countryside and the uncertainty of capture while trusting in their plan. The escape becomes a blend of risk, luck, and resolve as they press on.
When:1943 Where:From POW camp toward Britain
- 10
Back to civilian life after the escape
After their escape, the men make their way back to safety and the wider world. The war's end comes later, but their successful breakout leaves a lasting mark on their memories. The escape serves as a turning point in Pease's wartime life.
When:1943-1945 Where:Britain / Europe
Show the other 3 events of Very Important Person Hide the last 3 events
- 11
The reunion on stage: the four men revisited
Back in the present-day program, Pease is reunited with the four who played roles in his escape: Baines, Cooper, Everett, and Stampfel. The meeting gives each man a sense of closure and continuity with their wartime past. The show ties their disparate lives into a shared memory.
When:Present day Where:Television studio
- 12
Their lives after the war
In separate postwar chapters, Baines becomes a leading designer of ladies' foundation garments, Cooper serves as a missionary in India, Everett works as a West London undertaker, and Stampfel transitions into entertainment management at a British holiday camp. Their lives diverged dramatically, yet the war years connect them forever. The timeline emphasizes how the war reshaped ordinary people's destinies.
When:Post-war era Where:Britain / India
- 13
Final image: memory and reverberations
The program closes with the memories of the POW escape and the unlikely reunion. Pease's scientific career, his secret mission, and the people who accompanied him are framed as a testament to resilience. The audience is left with a sense of the past echoing into the present.
When:Present day Where:Television studio
Who Are the Main Characters in Very Important Person?
13 characters, among them Sir Ernest Pease (James Robertson Justice), Jimmy Cooper (Leslie Phillips) and Jock Everett (Stanley Baxter): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
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Sir Ernest Pease (James Robertson Justice)
Played by James Robertson Justice
Brilliant but acerbic scientist in charge of key aircraft research, Pease engineers a high-stakes disguise to escape, revealing a calculating mind under pressure. His plan blends scientific precision with stubborn nerve, and his past memories surface during the reunion framing. He is the hinge on which both the prisoner’s plan and the television program turn.
- 🎖️ Brilliant
- 🧠 Calculating
- 🔬 Scientist
- JC
Jimmy Cooper (Leslie Phillips)
Played by Leslie Phillips
A fellow prisoner and friend who provides steady support and moral ballast. Cooper contributes practical insight to the escape scheme and embodies resilience under captivity. His later life as a missionary in India contrasts with his wartime role, adding a note of personal redemption.
- 🤝 Loyal
- 🧠 Practical
- JE
Jock Everett (Stanley Baxter)
Played by Stanley Baxter
West London undertaker by demeanor, Everett is pressed into impersonating Major Stamfel to mislead the Germans. He embodies the blend of bluff and nerve needed to blur lines between guards and prisoners under duress.
- 🎭 Deceptive
- 🧭 Resourceful
- MS
Major Stamfel / Kommandant Stamfel (Stanley Baxter)
Played by Stanley Baxter
The real camp officer whose authority becomes the target of a complex ruse. His imposing presence creates a formidable obstacle to the escape plan, and his vulnerability to impersonation drives much of the tension.
- ⚔️ Authority
- 🧭 Threat
- BB
Bonzo Baines (Jeremy Lloyd)
Played by Jeremy Lloyd
Flt Lt. 'Bonzo' Baines, a roommate in the hut who participates in the planning. He embodies wartime grit and loyalty, staying composed under the pressure of an audacious escape.
- 🎖️ Courageous
- 🤝 Loyal
- P(
Piggott (John Le Mesurier)
Played by John Le Mesurier
Escape Officer who oversees the escape committee and weighs the risks of the plan. He represents the procedural, wary side of wartime strategy within the POW environment.
- 🗺️ Strategist
- 🧭 Leader
- T(
Travers (Norman Bird)
Played by Norman Bird
Group Captain Travers, the senior British officer who recognizes the strategic importance of Pease’s mission and prioritizes the escape. He balances authority with pragmatic judgment amid camp politics.
- 🎖️ Leader
- 🧭 Strategist
- W(
Willoughby (Eric Sykes)
Played by Eric Sykes
Willoughby, the Sports Officer, adds a touch of humanity and humor to the hut while shaping social dynamics that influence the escape's feasibility.
- 🎭 Entertainer
- 🤝 Companion
- PP
Plum Pouding (John Ringham)
Played by John Ringham
P/OGS 'Plum' Pouding, an officer present in the camp, contributes to the network of relationships that frame the escape plan. His role adds bureaucratic texture to the POW setting.
- 🗺️ Administrative
- 🧭 Involved
- LI
Luftwaffe Interrogator (Joseph Fürst)
Played by Joseph Fürst
The relentless Luftwaffe interrogator who probes Pease’s true identity, creating tension that threatens to unravel the ruse.
- ⚔️ Intimidating
- 🧭 Suspense
- 1S
1st Scientist in Corridor (Brian Oulton)
Played by Brian Oulton
A fellow scientist who witnesses the tension of wartime research and the high-stakes atmosphere around Pease. His presence underscores the central theme of science within the war.
- 🔬 Scientific
- 🧠 Observant
- B(
Briggs (Colin Gordon)
Played by Colin Gordon
A fellow prisoner who shares the hut’s daily life, contributing to the ensemble feel of the POW community and the dynamics of group survival.
- 🤝 Fellow
- W(
Woodcock (Richard Wattis)
Played by Richard Wattis
Woodcock, the Entertainments Officer, provides bureaucratic and occasional comic counterpoints to the prisoners’ schemes, enriching the camp’s social texture.
- 🎭 Entertainer
- 🗺️ Bureaucrat
Where and When Is Very Important Person Set?
Very Important Person is set in German POW camp and Airspace over Germany (1942). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
1942
Set in the middle of World War II, the story unfolds during 1942. The era is defined by high-stakes aerial warfare, strict POW routines, and the constant tension of potential escapes. The historical backdrop shapes the characters’ choices and the stakes of every plan.
Where
German POW camp, Airspace over Germany
The action shifts between a bomber mission over Nazi Germany and the prisoner-of-war camp where RAF officers are held. The camp is a tightly run environment, controlled by German officers and under constant threat of discovery. The bomber mission also penetrates the German airspace, creating a sense of depth between the front-line war and captivity.
- 🏛️ POW camp
- 🗺️ Germany
- 🕰️ WWII era
What Are the Themes of Very Important Person?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Identity, Escape and Camaraderie.
-
01
Identity
Pease repeatedly assumes different identities—from a covert flyer to a visiting observer—testing how far disguise can carry him. The TV reunion framing at the start underscores memory and self-perception, while the escape plan relies on convincingly pretending to be someone else. The narrative uses these disguises to explore what constitutes true identity under pressure.
-
02
Escape
The core drama centers on an audacious escape that hinges on misdirection, timing, and nerve. Pease’s calculated deception aims to exhaust the German search while he quietly returns home. The plan’s brinksmanship reveals both ingenuity and the brutal risk inherent in wartime captivity.
-
03
Camaraderie
The hut becomes a small society where loyalty and teamwork sustain morale amid confinement. Prisoners collaborate—despite tensions—to outwit guards and share the burden of risk. Their bond highlights how friendship can drive bold actions when freedom seems distant.
What Kind of Film Is Very Important Person?
Hopeful in tone, with steady pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Hopeful
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Happy
A steady-paced wartime comedy that balances tense escape plans and the ever-present threat of discovery with a hopeful, quirky camaraderie among a resourceful group of prisoners.
- hopeful
- tense
- resourceful
- quirky
- nostalgic
- courageous
- prisoner of war
- escape plan
- wartime survival
- disguise and deception
Content notes: war violence, imprisonment.
Quiz
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