In 1941, in wartime U.K., two Irish brothers working for the I.R.A. come against their local leader's ruthless methods.

I.R.A. member Terry (Sir John Mills) modifies his violent views after working undercover in wartime London. When his co-conspirators are arrested, he ensures that his brother Matt (Sir Dirk Bogarde) escapes back to Ireland. Terry follows and the local group have to decide what to do about him and about their imprisoned colleagues being shipped to Belfast.—Jeremy Perkins {J-26}

Shinto (Robert Beatty), the local I.R.A. leader, is brainlessly blind to various truths as they unfold, and wedded only to the War effort, regardless of tragic losses first of the brothers' father, then of their youngest brother. Even when told his attempt to free two I.R.A. prisoners as they disembark the ship that brings them home to serve their sentences is futile, as they have already been liberated, he blindly goes ahead, losing two colleagues in the gun battle. The brothers' love interest is, as their mother points out, only "in love with death". She has another memorable speech as she mourns the loss of her husband, and foresees the loss of her youngest.—Ian Firth