this be a rank company ( british ) medium budget production of a post war h. e. bates novel . well direct by robert parrish and the screen write by eric ambler be quite good . it be shoot on site in and what be then and ceylon . ( same location a bridge on the river kwai ) the young gregory peck play bill forrester a canadian pilot in the raf serve in far off burma in the closing month of wwii . he fly a mosquito and two seat and fighter bomber . ( the actual aircraft be provide through the cooperation of the raf and repaint in accurate camouflage and marking and for once . ) forrester and it seem and have go round the bend after lose his new wife in the blitz . he self destructive and want to end it all in combat . you would think that would be easy in a war and he explain to anna and but i just keep get medal instead . anna be a small and slim and pretty teacher and play very well by win min than and a burmese actress ( how refreshing ) . they and of course and fall in love ( it a movie and folk ) and his life really seem to be turn around . but and on a routine flight and he and two others go down in a very remote desert area of burma central plain ( hence and the title ) . from there on we have a rather good and believable survival saga . the english love eccentric character and this story have several and all well depict by some of those fine performer who bounce back and forth between the british legitimate stage and cinema . watch for brenda de banzie and who play miss mcnab and an elderly missionary . ( ya couldn not miss her . ) the purple plain be a good movie and a fine movie really . not too heavy and it historically accurate with good production value . forrester growth curve come out of his personal hell be quite interesting . i find the depiction of the native burmese be respectful without be condescend . for instance and the love between bill and anna be portray in a very reserved manner and a it would be between a westerner and an asian woman in real life and all in all and the story line and performance be very believable and enjoyable . i can recommend the purple plain and if you can find it .