King Rat (1965)

In the grip of the brutal Japanese occupation in 1942, Changi prison in Singapore becomes home to a motley mix of Allied P.O.W.s. This prison camp, devoid of the traditional barbed-wire fences and towering walls, is a living nightmare where escape is a chimerical dream, not because of stringent security, but for the utter lack of refuge beyond its boundaries. In this tormented realm, Corporal King (George Segal), an American, rises above the despair, living a life that draws both envy and suspicion. King, a master manipulator and sharp dealer, thrives by controlling the camp's black market, feeding off the desperation of the prisoners who are barely surviving at a sub-human level. His entrepreneurial ventures include trading contraband with the Japanese and selling a local delicacy - the "mouse deer" meat, which is, in reality, rat meat bred off the corpses of fallen P.O.W.s. Against King's audacious survivalist approach stands the stalwart British Lieutenant Robin Grey (Sir Tom Courtenay), the camp Provost Marshal. A strict adherent to the British articles of war, Grey is an upright, intense personality who forbids collaboration with the enemy. His unwavering determination to bring King's illicit activities to light fuels a tense power dynamic within the camp. Caught in the crossfire of this battle of wills is the genteel British airman, Peter Marlowe (James Fox), who finds himself drawn to the charismatic King. As the war nears its end, a chilling realization dawns upon them - the brutal Japanese guards may choose annihilation over liberation. Fueled by this fear, King and Marlowe embark on a daring endeavor to buy their freedom. The narrative of King Rat paints a striking portrait of desperation, survival, and the many shades of morality. Amid the dire circumstances of the camp, it reveals the questionable ethics of the imprisoned officers and the futility of resistance. Amid this chaos, King stands out, his audacity and cunning making him a beacon of survival, and a symbol of the corruption that desperation breeds. He is the Jack-the-Lad, the King-of-the-Hill, King of the Camp, King Rat.

King Rat is a drama movie featuring George Segal.

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