Directed by:
Mark RobsonCinematography:
William H. DanielsComposer:
Jerry GoldsmithCast:
Frank Sinatra, Trevor Howard, Raffaella Carrà, Brad Dexter, Sergio Fantoni, John Leyton, Edward Mulhare, Wolfgang Preiss, James Brolin, John Van Dreelen (more)VOD (1)
Plots(1)
When U.S. combat pilot Col. Joseph Ryan (Frank Sinatra) is captured by Nazis, he does what it takes to survive prison camp, including, by all appearances, befriend the enemy. Hence, his prison mates give Ryan the insulting nickname Von Ryan. But in time, Ryan takes over from the commanding British officer (Trevor Howard) and masterminds commandeering a train to Switzerland with the Nazis in hot pursuit. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (2)
The whole film is excellent, but in my eyes it's a classic of its genre mainly because of the fabulous alpine finale.
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Honestly, I had no idea a bon vivant like Frank Sinatra starred in a war film back in the Hollywood days. Yet here he is, playing US Air Force Colonel Joseph Ryan. For its time, this is an absolutely fantastic war movie, though it's very much a product of its era. You get a solid story, great atmosphere, and occasionally some slapstick moments that turn the film into a bit of a farce. Personally, I think that humor doesn’t quite fit into war movies, but it made sense back then. The last half hour, however, offers an epic finale. This is a must-watch for any fan of war films.
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