Von Ryan's Express
Reviews
John Chard
Get on board with Frankie Blue Eyes. Out of 20th Century Fox, Von Ryan's Express is directed by Mark Robson & stars Frank Sinatra and Trevor Howard. It's adapted by Wendell Mayes & Joseph Landon from the novel by David Westheimer. William H. Daniels is on photography and Jerry Goldsmith provides the score. Contary to what some sources say, this is not filmed in Panavision, it is filmed in Fox's trusted CinemaScope in De Luxe Color. Unless the opening credits are telling lies that is! Italy, August 1943. With the Allies poised to strike, the Germans seize control of Italy. So the war Weary Italian nation fought on as a prisoner of the German armies. Reeling from the critical kicking and gargantuan financial whack of "Cleopatra", 20th Century Fox desperately wanted a hit to put the company back on an even keel. Treating the project with kid gloves, producer Saul David (director Robson co-produces) for his first producing gig for Fox takes one of the biggest names in showbiz and shoots on location in Italy and Spain. The film was a big hit that got a strong critical response and a box office take that made it the 10th highest grossing film of 1965. Of note also is that it turned out to be Sinatra's highest grossing - and biggest earning - film of the 1960s. With some changes from the novel, notably the ending, Von Ryan's Express isn't setting out to be a deep and meaningful war movie. It wants to entertain, to thrill the audience, to take them out of the stuffy prison camp and onto a fast moving train. And it does this, in spades, pitting our protagonists into a boys own adventure. We accompany Sinatra, Howard and over 500 American and British prisoners-of-war across 1943 Nazi controlled Italy - and hopefully to the safety of Switzerland. Once the film leaves the "Bridge On The River Kwai" like prison camp, where the characters for the story are formed, the film turns into a rip-roaring adventure piece that's flecked with moments of genuine suspense. Directed with vigour and a sense of fun by Robson, and aided no end by the fine cast, the film is all about being an old fashioned type war movie. It's not bogged down by the need to adhere to history or "the horrors of war" message making, this thrives on just being an action/adventure movie, one that uses real life events as its backdrop. If you like a war movie but want escapism with some beer and snacks, well this is the one for you. There are some strong character moments to keep it emotionally viable too - with the ending particularly memorable, and dare I say it, bold (altered at Sinatra's request apparently). Even the appearance of a female on board our machismo packed train (Raffaella Carrà) serves an important purpose. For where it at first seems out of place, a token offering, it ultimately makes for a critical piece of the film. Technically the piece scores high too, with effective stunt work, smart action set pieces (the last quarter bridge confrontations are thrillingly executed), sharp detailed colour and ear busting sound work (check out the Messerschmitt attack, wow!). This be an all encompassing piece of entertainment. Easily holding up on revisits over the years, Von Ryan's Express is a safe recommendation to the action/adventure/war film fan. 8/10
CinemaSerf
"Col. Ryan" (Frank Sinatra) arrives at an Italian POW camp to find it's mainly British occupants at loggerheads with the Commandant "Battaglia" (Adolfo Celi). It seems his brutality led to the death of their former CO and now "Maj. Fincham" (Trevor Howard) is out for blood! "Ryan" is a more calculating man, though, and that initially elicits hostility from the men - hence the "von Ryan", but his patience pays off and soon he is able to lead the whole lot of them on an audacious escape attempt that could see them all make it to safety. With the Nazis and their former persecutor in hot pursuit, they manage to commandeer a train and now they must use their guile and the unique skills of padre "Costanzo" (Edward Mulhare) to blag their way through the heart of the enemy lines en route to Switzerland. Can they make it? It's a bit of a slow burn, but once the story gets up to speed then there's loads of action with Sinatra and Howard working well together to create quite an exciting sense of peril as it builds to quite an exciting conclusion. There's a strong supporting cast including their principal antagonist "Maj. Von Klemment" (Wolfgang Preiss) and Brad Dexter's ingenious "Sgt. Bostick". Jerry Goldsmith helps it along with a solid score and there's quite a bit of dry humour in the script, too. Not one of the most famous of wartime thrillers, but it's not bad at all.
Wuchak
**_Escaping the Germans by train in Italy_** A captured American colonel (Frank Sinatra) takes command of the POWs at an Italian camp in 1943. He conflicts with the rigid Brit major (Trevor Howard) as the Allies soon land in Selerno. The opportunity eventually surfaces to take command of a train and possibly escape north. Sergio Fantoni plays an Italian captain who teams up with them. "Von Ryan’s Express" (1965) was based on the book by David Westheimer, who himself was a navigator in a B-24 shot down over Italy at the end of 1942 wherein he ended up a prisoner in Stalag Luft III. While “The Bridge on the River Kwai” concerned a POW camp in Burma and “The Great Escape” concerned one in Poland, the camp here is in Italy. Thankfully, it only concerns the first act and the flick is wisely streamlined compared to those other two movies. Amidst the adventure, there are interesting culture clashes between the Italians and Germans, the Allies and Italians, as well as the Brits and Americans. Sinatra insisted that the script deviate from the novel’s ending and it worked out for a memorable climax. Beautiful Raffaella Carrà is a highlight in her black skirt and white shirt. Unfortunately, the iconic Euro-entertainer devolved into a LIEberal in the following years, supporting Communism and so forth (Get real). But what else is new? It runs 1 hour, 57 minutes, and was majorly shot in northern Italy in Cortina d'Ampezzo and Florence, although the ending was filmed in the limestone gorge of El Chorro and the nearby railway bridge, which is close to Málaga, Spain. Interiors were done at 20th Century Fox Studios in Los Angeles with the POW camp built in the front lot. GRADE: B+
Movie Recommendation
On Guard1997-12-03France, 17th century, during the reign of Louis XIII. When a dear friend, the Duke of Nevers, is treacherously assassinated by a powerful relative, a skilled swordsman, the noble Henri de Lagardère, seeks his rightful vengeance as he tries to protect the innocent life of the duke's last heir.More...
Ballad of a Soldier1959-12-01During World War II, earnest young Russian soldier Alyosha Skvortsov is rewarded with a short leave of absence for performing a heroic deed on the battlefield. Feeling homesick, he decides to visit his mother. Due to his kindhearted nature, however, Alyosha is repeatedly sidetracked by his efforts to help those he encounters, including a lovely girl named Shura. In his tour of a country devastated by war, he struggles to keep hope alive.More...
The Devil's Brigade1968-05-15At the onset of World War II, American Lt. Col. Robert Frederick is put in charge of a unit called the 1st Special Service Force, composed of elite Canadian commandos and undisciplined American soldiers. With Maj. Alan Crown leading the Canadians and Maj. Cliff Bricker the acting head of the American contingent, there is initial tension -- but the team comes together when given a daunting mission that few would dare to attempt.More...
Hercules Unchained1959-02-14En route to Thebes for an important diplomatic mission, Hercules drinks from a magic spring and loses his memory. He spends most of the movie in the pleasure gardens of Queen Omphale of Lydia. While young Ulysses tries to help him regain his memory, political tensions escalate in Thebes, and Hercules' new wife Iole finds herself in mortal danger.More...
The Wild Blue Yonder2005-09-05An alien narrates the story of his dying planet, his and his people's visitations to Earth and Earth's self-made demise, while human astronauts in space are attempting to find an alternate planet for surviving humans to live on.More...
Till the Clouds Roll By1946-12-05Light bio-pic of American Broadway pioneer Jerome Kern, featuring renditions of the famous songs from his musical plays by contemporary stage artists, including a condensed production of his most famous: 'Showboat'.More...
Charro!1969-03-13Vince Hackett's gang steals a prized victory canon from Mexico and blames the deed on ex-member Jess Wade, who wants to go straight.More...
The Puppet Masters1994-10-21The Midwest USA is invaded by stingray-shaped alien slugs that ride on people's backs and control their minds in order to spread their dominion. Government agency reps Sam Givens, Andrew Nivens, and Mary Sefton must stop the aliens.More...
Brass Target1978-12-22General George S. Patton died in a car accident in 1945. But was his death actually a murder. Is he targeted by Nazis angered by Germany's defeat? Or by Russians who knew that Patton had argued in favor of invading the Soviet Union towards the end of the war? Or is it because Patton is investigating the theft of a quarter of a billion dollars of Nazi gold? Or is it because his subordinate Colonels - the flamboyantly gay Colonel and his worried lover are fearful that he is getting too close to discovering the truth.More...
Extortion2017-01-02A doctor desperately tries to save his wife and their 5 year old son after their vacation in the Bahamas takes an unexpected turn.More...
Terror Beneath the Sea1966-07-01While covering a test of guided torpedoes, two reporters believe they see what appears to be a strange-looking swimming creature. They investigate the matter further and discover that there is a race of fish-men living under the sea. The fish-men capture the pair and keep them prisoner in their underwater city.More...
Winning: The Racing Life of Paul Newman2015-05-08The world knows Paul Newman as an Academy Award winning actor with a fifty-plus year career as one of the most prolific and revered actors in American Cinema. He was also well known for his philanthropy; Newman's Own has given more than four hundred and thirty million dollars to charities around the world. Yet few know the gasoline-fueled passion that became so important in this complex, multifaceted man's makeup. Newman’s deep-seated passion for racing was so intense it nearly sidelined his acting career. His racing career spanned thirty-five years; Newman won four national championships as a driver and eight championships as an owner. Not bad for a guy who didn't even start racing until he was forty-seven years old.More...
Rogues' Regiment1948-12-28A post World War 2, US Army agent is assigned to join the Foreign Legion in search of high ranking Nazi war criminal who may have also enlisted.More...
The Miracle Worker1962-05-23The true story of the frightening, lonely world of silence and darkness of 7-year-old Helen Keller who, since infancy, has never seen the sky, heard her mother's voice or expressed her innermost feelings. Then Annie Sullivan, a 20-year-old teacher from Boston, arrives. Having just recently regained her own sight, the no-nonsense Annie reaches out to Helen through the power of touch, the only tool they have in common, and leads her bold pupil on a miraculous journey from fear and isolation to happiness and light.More...
Touchez Pas au Grisbi1954-03-17Gentleman gangster Max and his partner, Riton, pull off their last, most successful heist and find themselves comfortable enough to retire in the style they enjoy. However, Max confides the details of the theft to his younger mistress, Josey -- who has secretly taken up with ambitious young rival gangster Angelo. Angelo then has Riton kidnapped and demands the stash of gold as ransom, which threatens Max's dreams of the perfect retirement.More...
Battle of the Bulge1965-12-16In the winter of 1944, the Allied Armies stand ready to invade Germany at the coming of a New Year. To prevent it, Hitler orders an all-out offensive to re-take French territory and capture the major port city of Antwerp.More...
A Man for All Seasons1966-12-13A depiction of the conflict between King Henry VIII of England and his Lord Chancellor, Sir Thomas More, who refuses to swear the Oath of Supremacy declaring Henry Supreme Head of the Church in England.More...
Ducoboo2011-06-22Ducoboo is a very inventive dunce and joker, he is very resourceful at finding new ways to copy from his neighbor, to cheat or to defy the teacher's authority.More...
Sudden Impact1983-12-08When a young rape victim takes justice into her own hands and becomes a serial killer, it's up to Dirty Harry Callahan, on suspension from the SFPD, to bring her to justice.More...
La Chèvre1981-12-09When the boss' unlucky daughter is missing in South America, Campana is sent to watch the boss' most unlucky employee who is sent as a private detective in hopes he can duplicate the daughter's mistakes.More...
Similar Movies
The English Patient
1996-11-14In the 1930s, Count Almásy is a Hungarian map maker employed by the Royal Geographical Society to chart the vast expanses of the Sahara Desert along with several other prominent explorers. As World War II unfolds, Almásy enters into a world of love, betrayal, and politics.The Chronicles of Nar...
2005-12-07Siblings Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter step through a magical wardrobe and find the land of Narnia. There, they discover a charming, once peaceful kingdom that has been plunged into eternal winter by the evil White Witch, Jadis. Aided by the wise and magnificent lion, Aslan, the children lead Narnia into a spectacular, climactic battle to be free of the Witch's glacial powers forever.The Pianist
2002-09-17The true story of pianist Władysław Szpilman's experiences in Warsaw during the Nazi occupation. When the Jews of the city find themselves forced into a ghetto, Szpilman finds work playing in a café; and when his family is deported in 1942, he stays behind, works for a while as a laborer, and eventually goes into hiding in the ruins of the war-torn city.Schindler's List
1993-12-15The true story of how businessman Oskar Schindler saved over a thousand Jewish lives from the Nazis while they worked as slaves in his factory during World War II.Shaft
1971-06-23Cool Black private eye John Shaft is hired by a crime lord to find and retrieve his kidnapped daughter.Reservoir Dogs
1992-09-02A botched robbery indicates a police informant, and the pressure mounts in the aftermath at a warehouse. Crime begets violence as the survivors -- veteran Mr. White, newcomer Mr. Orange, psychopathic parolee Mr. Blonde, bickering weasel Mr. Pink and Nice Guy Eddie -- unravel.Poseidon
2006-05-03A packed cruise ship traveling the Atlantic is hit and overturned by a massive wave, compelling the passengers to begin a dramatic fight for their lives.The Blues Brothers
1980-06-16Jake Blues, just released from prison, puts his old band back together to save the Catholic home where he and his brother Elwood were raised.M*A*S*H
1970-02-18One of the world's most acclaimed comedies, M*A*S*H focuses on three Korean War Army surgeons brilliantly brought to life by Donald Sutherland, Tom Skerritt and Elliott Gould. Though highly skilled and deeply dedicated, they adopt a hilarious, lunatic lifestyle as an antidote to the tragedies of their Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, and in the process infuriate Army bureaucrats. Robert Duvall, Gary Burghoff and Sally Kellerman co-star as a sanctimonious Major, an other-worldly Corporal, and a self-righteous yet lusty nurse.Goldfinger
1964-09-20Special agent 007 comes face to face with one of the most notorious villains of all time, and now he must outwit and outgun the powerful tycoon to prevent him from cashing in on a devious scheme to raid Fort Knox -- and obliterate the world's economy.The Tin Drum
1979-05-02In 1924, Oskar Matzerath is born in the Free City of Danzig. At age three, he falls down a flight of stairs and stops growing. In 1939, World War II breaks out.On Her Majesty's Secr...
1969-12-18James Bond tracks his archnemesis, Ernst Blofeld, to a mountaintop retreat in the Swiss alps where he is training an army of beautiful, lethal women. Along the way, Bond falls for Italian contessa Tracy Draco, and marries her in order to get closer to Blofeld.Oldboy
2003-11-21With no clue how he came to be imprisoned, drugged and tortured for 15 years, a desperate man seeks revenge on his captors.Pearl Harbor
2001-05-21The lifelong friendship between Rafe McCawley and Danny Walker is put to the ultimate test when the two ace fighter pilots become entangled in a love triangle with beautiful Naval nurse Evelyn Johnson. But the rivalry between the friends-turned-foes is immediately put on hold when they find themselves at the center of Japan's devastating attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.Aliens
1986-07-18Ripley, the sole survivor of the Nostromo's deadly encounter with the monstrous Alien, returns to Earth after drifting through space in hypersleep for 57 years. Although her story is initially met with skepticism, she agrees to accompany a team of Colonial Marines back to LV-426.The Living Daylights
1987-06-29After a defecting Russian general reveals a plot to assassinate foreign spies, James Bond is assigned a secret mission to dispatch the new head of the KGB to prevent an escalation of tensions between the Soviet Union and the West.Top Gun
1986-05-16For Lieutenant Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell and his friend and co-pilot Nick 'Goose' Bradshaw, being accepted into an elite training school for fighter pilots is a dream come true. But a tragedy, as well as personal demons, will threaten Pete's dreams of becoming an ace pilot.Face/Off
1997-06-27In order to foil a terrorist plot, an FBI agent undergoes facial transplant surgery and assumes the identity of a criminal mastermind. The plan turns sour when the criminal wakes up prematurely and seeks revenge.The Bride and the Cur...
1978-11-28Shpresa goes to the house of fascist collaborators to commit an assassination. After that, dressed as a bride, she becomes an illegal.On the Track
1978-06-04Film set after World War II. A group of kids notice a shady new resident in their neighborhood.