He portrayed a US army colonel investigating the kidnapping of a young soldier in "Night People" (1954). Peck later stated that the role of was one of his favorites as his lines were "tough and crisp and full of wisecracks, and more aggressive than other roles" he'd played. The film received praise for its production and direction, but did poorly at the box offfice. Peck flew to Sri Lanka to film "The Purple Plain" (1954), playing a Canadian bomber pilot with strong emotional problems during the Second World War. "The Purple Plain" was panned in the United States but became a hit in the United Kingdom, ranking tenth at the box office in 1954, and was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Film. Of his performance, Crowther wrote, "the extent of Peck’s agony is impressively transmitted...in vivid and unrelenting scenes." In recent years, the movie "has become one of Peck’s most respected works," with critic David Thomson rating Peck's performance as excellent. Craig Butler of "All Movie" describes "Peck is astonishing, giving the sort of layered, intense yet nuanced performance that deserves major awards".