Victory - Movie about soccer match and escape during Nazi rule - released in 1981 - Starring Sylvester Stallone, Michael Cane and Pele

Based on the Hungarian drama Two Half Times in Hell by Zoltan Fabri, Escape to Victory (or simply 'Victory' in North America), was released in 1981, starring Sylvester Stallone, Michael Cane, Max Von Sydow and Daniel Massey and was directed by John Huston. However, the USP of the film were the football players who starred in it, including the legend Pele. A rare film with an international ensemble cast.

The story is about the Allied POWs in a German war camp. Major Karl von Steiner (Max Von Sydow) is the camp commander, a former member of the German National Football team. Nazi big wigs order the Major to set up an exhibition match between the prisoners and cream of the German team, in Paris. Captain John Colby (Michael Caine) is the man coaching the POWs; he was part of the West Ham United, before the war broke out. The team is unaware that they being used as pawns in a Nazi Propaganda bid.

Captain Robert Hatch (Sylvester Stallone) insists that the opportunity should be utilized to plan an escape, though Colby insists that the plan would be doomed from the start, taking precious lives. Initially Colby had not included Hatch in the team, and after much pleading, he gets to be a part of it - as a trainer. In on the plan are a bunch of Brit officers who encourage the whole deal, even the French Resistance is out to help them. Colby’s superiors weigh in on his decision, using their influence to change his mind - succeeding in the end.

Hatch makes a risky attempt to escape first, he contacts the Resistance, knowing full well that they will not refuse; the French chalk out an escape route, through tunnels below the Colombes Stadium in Paris, which will lead to the showers in the locker rooms.

Robert Hatch will have to allow himself to be recaptured, so that once he’s back in the war camp, he can share the details with the others. As luck would have it, Robert is put into solitary confinement, this ruins his chances of sharing the details with his fellow prisoners; Colby rises to the occasion and tells Steiner that they need Hatch back (he is also the stand-in goalkeeper) in the team, since the first goalkeeper in the lineup has fractured his arm - the poor man has to undergo a forced fracture to prove the story right.

When the day of the match arrives, a group led by Robert is ready to escape during half time, but the others are taken up by the spirit of the moment, and insist that they finish the match and then leave, even though they are trailing by three goals. Although the bias towards the Germans and prejudice towards the Allies is evident, for all to see, yet the Allied players persevere, and the match ends in a draw. The penalty kick goal by the POWs is disqualified, and yet they manage to win the game. In the confusion following the game -  all the men escape.

However in reality, the 11 Ukrainian members who played the game during the Second World War had multiple games and defeated the Germans in all of them, and were recaptured, sent to camps where 4 of them died. These are the words inscribed on the memorial for the eleven footballers on whose lives the story of the film Escape to Victory is based:

“For our beautiful presence

They fell in a fight…

For ages your glory won’t fade,

The fearless hero-athletes.”

Remarkable movie highlighting the spirit of mankind to achieve the seemingly impossible. Must watch, classic!

Breakthrough (released in 1979) - Starring Richard Burton, Robert Mitchum and Rod Steiger

The film is a sequel to the 1977 Eastern Front war flick - Cross of Iron. Directed by Andrew V. McLaglen, the film has a new cast in reprise characters. May 1944, the German Forces are retreating from the Eastern Front. Although the two were depicted as having had differences in the Cross of Iron - Sgt. Rolf Steiner (played by Richard Burton) of the Wehrmacht (German High Command of the Army) once more teams up with the  ambitious and cut throat Captain Stransky (played by Helmut Griem) to blow up a railway tunnel thus cutting off the line of supply for the Russians. However, the presence of a Russian tank ensures that the attack is foiled, and Steiner’s squad returns to base, defeated. The Sergeant proceeds to Paris on a fourteen day furlough, to nurse battle wounds and rest his battle weary senses - it is cut short because the Allies have landed in Normandy.
His unit is transferred to a France, in the village of St.Bologne. Unknown to most of the Wehrmacht, there is a conspiracy to overthrow and assassinate The Führer, Adolf Hitler. This he is told by General Hoffman (played by Curd Jürgens), his divisional commander in the past, tells him so, sharing with him the disgruntlement and discontent of the officers and men in the Wehrmacht. Those familiar with the character of Steiner from Cross of Iron are aware that he is a principled ‘soldier’s soldier’- fighting for the Vaterland (Fatherland), he personally harbors no allegiance to The Führer, a good guy caught on the wrong side.
General Hoffman would have the lowly sergeant convey the plan to the Americans across enemy lines of the plan, and that they would like to surrender to them. The men across are Colonel Rogers (played by Robert Mitchum) and General Webster (played by Rod Steiger), who are willing to assist, however Stransky is the spanner in the works - how do they deal with him?




We know from history that the assassination plot went kaputt. All the co conspirators were rounded up and faced a firing squad, or were hung to death by the Gestapo (and this was done painfully, being hung on piano wire). As for General Hoffman, he committed suicide with a bullet to the head.
The Americans advance towards St.Bologne, as Stransky has the evil plan to blow up the village, irrespective of massive collateral damage.
The film received brickbats for not really living up to the stature of the prequel - in fact many critics questioned why there had to be a sequel in the first place? Richard Burton with a Irish-Germanic accent (if at all such, as this, exists) is awkward, and too old for the role - he looks jaded and uncomfortable (he died five years later). His character, that of the ‘good German’ is more a Hollywood creation than one based on real life. The General confiding in a man from the ranks is next to unimaginable, no matter how civil or laissez faire the army! Steiner walks around in perfectly clean uniform (and it isn’t even battle fatigues) through the combat front lines, his helmet sitting awkwardly on his head; an all in all disappointment, with hardly any worthwhile action against the Russians.

Midway (released in 1976) - Starring Charlton Heston, Henry Fonda, James Coburn and Glenn Ford

Midway or The Battle of Midway is remembered as the greatest debacles in Japanese Naval History in 350 years! It was fought in June 1942, only six months after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. The film was released by both names in the UK and the US respectively, in 1976. It is directed by Jack Smight, who has made clever use of both archived and staged footage, with faultless switches. The movie also relied on Sensurround to enhance the movie experience of the audiences. Midway/ The Battle of Midway is a fine film depicting not war heroes but men who make extraordinary decisions in times of war. The film mentions that the plot takes place after the Doolittle Raid, before the Battle of the Coral Sea. The Americans were going about the Pacific War with hammer and tongs; they had decoded a Japanese plan to mislead their aircraft carriers using decoys; the decoders were able to decipher the date and exact location of the attack, thus foiling the Japanese attempt by setting up an ambush of its own!
Robert Mitchum plays the skin-disease afflicted Vice Admiral William F. ‘Bull’ Halsey, ("some drunken correspondent," in Halsey's words, changed "Bill" Halsey to "Bull") who, or more than three fourths of the film is ‘indisposed’, as in real life, with advanced dermatitis, laid up in Hawaii. Admiral Chester Nimitz (played by Henry Fonda) is the man of the hour, in-charge of all the planning, in place of William Halsey.




At the helm of affairs for the Japanese is head strategist Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (played by Toshiro Mifune) who conceived the Midway plan. He intended to send in 4 carriers, 2 battleships, 3 cruisers, and 12 destroyers, and five thousand troops to secure the Atoll from American Marines. He was killed after the Americans decoded the Midway plan, as his plane was shot down. This incident shook up the Japanese and their morale took a beating.
Prominent in the US  Navy's cryptographic and intelligence operations, Commander Joseph Rochefort (Hal Holbrook) was the first officer to uncover the Japs plan to attack Midway Atoll, despite JN-25b being “super enciphered.” Rear Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher (Robert Webber) was the Officer in Tactical Command, with the US carriers Enterprise and Hornet, and repairs a third Yorktown. Under his command, the three US carriers sank the enemy carriers- Akagi, Kaga, and Soryu. He was later promoted to Vice Admiral.
The film is more a docudrama, and digresses somewhat with the imaginary second thread: Captain Matt Garth (Charlton Heston) is a naval officer who is responsible for strategizing operations in the War; however, he is fighting a war on the home front as well - with his son Ensign Thomas (played by Edward Albert), who is a pilot, in love with a Japanese girl, Haruko Sakura (played by Christina Kokubo) born to immigrants. These three are fictional leads in the film along with a handful of others; the rest are all based on real characters. Captain Garth uses his influence and contacts to rescue the interned girl and her parents, a practice normal in America at the time for Japanese immigrants. The girl and her parents are freed; Haruko is by Thomas’ side when he is wounded in action. Captain Matt Garth is killed in action when his plane crashes.
With stellar performances by all actors, the movie is undeniably a classic war film. Despite the slow pick up, given the documentary style filming, the movie picks pace with almost astral dogfights, larger–than-life celluloid depiction of the operations, given their massive scale. In actual the battle resulted in 3,057 Japanese deaths, a sad fate for Japan and herculean victory for the USA.

Anzio (released in 1968) - War film starring Robert Mitchum, Robert Ryan and Peter Falk

The film is based on Operation Shingle, carried out in 1944 by the Allied Troops on the port of Anzio on Italy’s west coast, in WWII. Details have been sourced from the book of the same name by former BBC War Correspondent and author Wynford Vaughn-Thomas. Directed by Edward Dmytryk and Duilio Coletti, it is an Italian-American co-production. Dick Ennis (played by Robert Mitchum) is a war weary, yet battle hardened reporter, through whose experienced eyes we see the plot unfold. The film opens with Ennis being dropped off in a jeep, uniformed with purpose-ridden strides; he climbs a flight of stairs and crosses opulent halls, the décor and ambiance reek Italian Renaissance sophistication. But out of the blue, GIs and their girls dot the scene in sizable numbers, one in a bid to defy gravity, hanging from majestic chandeliers, while others egg him on. Just then the Canadian Rangers along with Corporal Jack Rabinoff (played by Peter Falk) enter the chaotic hall, only to be welcomed by some GI-style muscle flexing.
Elsewhere, the sullen and cynical journalist Dick Ennis, enjoys a long swig out of a long necked bottle of wine, and he has for company Technical Sergeant Abe Stimmler (played by Earl Holliman) with the two of them seem wrapped in heavy discussion, as if the revelers never existed! The movie is about American's invasion of Anzio as seen through the eyes of a pacifist journalist (this was like real battle, not the movie style where things move only as the heroes want - read more about the Operation Shingle, the invasion of Anzio). The landing is unopposed, and Mitchum requisitions a jeep and, along with Falk, discover that the road to Rome, the ultimate destination, is open. Rome can be in Allied hands in a few days, if they move fast enough.




It is Ennis’s assignment to do a story about the US Rangers and their strategy to break down defenses of the enemy. Lieutenant General Carson (played by Robert Ryan) is commanding the Fifth Army, and strategizing their move behind enemy lines; news is that the Allied Troops are being hammered by the Germans at the Gustav Line, lead by the almost invincible Monte Cassino. Maj. General Jack Lesley (played by Arthur Kennedy) orders a drive inland to the Alban Hills that provide a vantage point, from where the beachhead (discovered by Ennis to be virtually trouble-free) provides direct access to Rome. However, Lesley is way off the mark since he realizes he lacks the resources needed to march and capture Rome.
The German commander Kesselring (played by Wolfgang Preiss) re-musters forces and ambushes the Allies, at the Battle of Cisterna, the Germans won hands down. Almost 400 American POWs were captured by the Germans, in real life. The movie is about Ennis’s battle to escape alive from behind enemy lines; however, most of the men are killed or captured, whilst a few escape, after a near brush with death in the guise of a minefield.
Dick Ennis questions, then, publicly the decisions taken by the higher command, to gamble away the lives of the American and Allied Troops - he questions why humans fight one another? The New York Times review remarked that Anzio was “Standard War Fare” - a fair view considering that the battle at Anzio was bloodied beyond belief, and was avoidable, the film seems to allude to the genre of usual ‘good guys beat the hell outta the bad guys’ ploy - but it fails miserably, as in reality, the good guys were outnumbered and out maneuvered.

Corvette K-225 (released in 1943) - Starring Randolph Scott, Ella Raines and Barry Fitzgerald

Corvette K 225, a war-drama film, is directed by Richard Rosson. Tt features a story bound ship HMCS Donnacona, of the Royal Canadian Navy. It stars Randolph Scott (other movies: 7th Cavalry, Comanche Station) as Lt. Cdr McLain and Ella Raines (it was her debut film in 1943). During the War, MacLain has to return to his native Canada, after having suffered a terrible setback - his ship, a Corvette, is blown apart by a German torpedo whilst escorting a convoy.
Seething, the Lt. Cdr is determined to take vengeance for deaths of those men who were mercilessly gunned down by a German U-boat. He refuses the Admiral’s offer for leave, and decides instead to wait until a new ship is commissioned. Whilst he’s on standby, he befriends Joyce Cartwright, played by Ella Raines, the sibling of Dick Cartwright, an officer who lost his life on the ship under McLain’s command.
Quite naturally disturbed by the loss of her brother, Joyce pins the blame for his tragic and untimely death on Mac; she is heartbroken and believes that if it weren’t for him - Dick would still be alive. However, time heals the ugliest wounds, and gradually, her animosity towards Mac fades, and is replaced with love.
In the meantime, the HMCS Donnacona, a Corvette K 225 is commissioned with a crew of sixty five men, which includes Joyce’s  young sibling - Lt. Paul Cartwright, a typical youngster who complains about what a hard act to follow and please MacLain is. The ship is bound for Europe, under the command of Commodore Ramsay, tasked with the duty of carrying cargo such as airplanes, gasoline and tanks. The Germans are stationed off the coast of Newfoundland, at Ethel, when another ship is torpedoed - the HMCS Donnacona sights the remnants – dead soldiers who have been thrown to the surface from the bowels of the ocean.

On the ninth day, the HMCS Donnacona is caught in the midst of a raging storm, as a result of which, it strays from the convoy and is lost. When the ship is about three hundred miles away from the Irish Coast, MacLain realizes there are more ships like the HMCS Donnacona which have strayed away from their convoys, he meets the Captain of the tanker Egyptian Star, who conveys dire warnings and fears to MacLain, believing that his ship is being followed and is under surveillance of German submarines.
Just as the Captain warned, they come under German fire from a squadron of bombers, but one of the convoy’s fighter planes comes to its rescue. In the fighting that ensues, the Egyptian Star is sunk by a torpedo, while the HMCS Donnacona takes on the submarines. Using a depth charge, one of the submarines is eliminated, however, the HMCS Donnacona comes under attack from a U-boat in a surface battle that disables it, Mac is also injured. Lt. Paul Cartwright with Seaman Stooky O’Meara move underwater to dispose the depth charges, which strike the submarine.
When it’s destroyed, MacLain recognizes the U-boat as the one which was responsible for the death of his men. The HMCS Donnacona arrives safely in Ireland with another six merchant ships. As a mark of respect, before it anchors the Corvette K 225 sails past the other docked ships, which salute the crew for its unsurpassed courage in the face of the enemy. A film which has a tragic beginning, but a triumphant end; an easy watch if you’re a WWII movie buff!

Film - Enemy at the Gates - clash between 2 snipers in WWII (released in 2001)

The Second World War was a huge war, a war of biblical proportions, which caused the death of millions. The devastation caused was not only a military war, but the battle for cities and population centers caused untold grief to large cities and their populations. Of the cities impacted, outside of Germany whose cities were devastated in the battle to defeat the Nazis, one of the most impacted cities was Stalingrad, the city which is seen by many as the place where the tide of the battle turned and the last point where the German army was able to establish some amount of control, with the Soviet Army using huge reinforcements (and losing people at a critical rate) to turn the Germans back. It is said that from Stalingrad, the Red Army made a march that finally ended up in Berlin.
The story is set in this battle, showcasing the story of a famous sniper. The movie is based on a book, Enemy at the Gates: The Battle for Stalingrad, written in 1973 by the author William Craig. One of the most famous soldiers from this battle is Vasily Zaytsev (Wikipedia link) (Vassili Zaitsev - His book), a solider who became a sniper and was responsible for the deaths of more than 400 German soldiers. He was a much decorated soldier who did most of his killing in a 2 week period in November-December 1942, a period in which the fighting was in the city, at eyeball level. The fight in the city cause destruction of large parts of the city. The movie showcases a fight between Vasily and a German sniper, a major with whom he had a running battle which has to result in the death of one of them.




The movies tells the story during the war of a Vassili Zaitsev (acted by Jude Law), a shepherd who like many others is now a soldier in the Red Army. With the quest to push back the Germans and prevent the Germans from crossing the line of Stalingrad, the defense of Stalingrad was a critical point. Army units were pushed into this battle, and Vassili was one of the fighters there, finding himself in the company of a political commissar Danilov (played splendidly by Joseph Fiennes). In one such push, Danilov sees impressive shooting by Vassili and works on the visiting Nikita Khrushchev to portray Vassili as a Soviet hero; the people need a hero and Vassili would be such a hero. He is transferred to the sniper school. And in a interesting touch, both Vassili and Danilov become interested in a female militia soldier, Tania (played by Rachel Weissz). This rivalry between them is going to strain their friendship.
The snipers play an important role in defeating the Germans (having an effective sniper is devastating to morale, since it means that a soldier is afraid of getting killed any instant), and the Germans bring in a senior sniper, major Erwin Koing (played to great effect by Ed Harris). He is also a very effective sniper and almost traps Vassili, killing 2 of his fellow snipers. Even a sniper sent to kill Erwin is killed, which makes Khrushchev impatient to get rid of Erwin.
A small boy, Sacha, becomes a helper to Konig, to get information about the whereabouts of the Major so that Vassili could trap him and kill him, but it is not easy. The Major is becoming suspicious of Sacha, and in the meantime the obvious relationship between Vassili and Tania is causing jealousy in Danilov. What happens next ?

A foreign Field (released in 1993) - Starring Alec Guinness, Leo McKern, Lauren Bacall - 50 years after D-Day

A Foreign Field is a movie made by the BBC for commemorating the 50th anniversary of the D-day landings and portrays the story of the veterans who come to Normandy in search of the memories of their loved ones. It stars Lauren Bacall, Alec Guinness, John Randolph, Leo mcKern, Edward Herrman, Geraldine Chaplin and host of American, Australian, and French Actors. Directed by Charles Sturridge it was produced by BBC and is a staple on the channel during World War II anniversaries.
The movie has two World War veterans, Cyril and Waldo coming to Normandy to find their stories again. Cyril is accompanied by his old friend Amos whereas Waldo has his uptight daughter and her henpecked husband coming with him him. Amos played by the legendary Sir Alec Guinness is a treat to watch as the mentally affected veteran. Both of them remember the blood bath in the beaches of Normandy and among those terrifying tales a memory of a beautiful French nurse is tucked away.



After fifty years of being unaware of each others association, they have come in search of that old flame who kept them sane during those terrifying times. Cyril being British hates crazy Americans and the American Wald hates the uppity British. While sharing their memories, each find out about Angelique, the French Nurse and almost comes to blows because of her. Rounding up the people stalking the memories is Lisa, a boozy widow who has a secret of her own. These unlikely group move through the fields of Normandy, the memories of comrades long gone and understand the finality of life again.
Amos played by Alec Guinness should be one of the most favorite character of a war movie. With his gestures and facial expression he goes down in to our hearts as the wounded man both in body and mind. The others play the war scarred, but stable characters. The bickering husband and wife duo cauldron have been avoided as they had nothing, not even as the thankless generation which followed. But the cake goes to Angelique, the fresh faced nurse who had seduced both the veterans, now old and confined to a home. Lauren Bacall returns to a better suited role and is great as the loud mouthed widow who is in search of her brother's grave. Even at this dismal place she sings her blues away ad is one of the most enduring images in “The Foreign Field”.
Some times I wonder how come this sweet movie is tucked away as a television movie outed during the anniversaries. It raises a few laughs about men who fought for freedom which would help them in the quest for happiness. It chronicles the young who died and the later old ones who survived but are haunted by those memories. This movie does not deserve to be confined to those television outings but has to reach one and all. It will be a welcome break from all those sugary romances one is forced to watch nowadays. Great movie need to be watched by all.