Directed by:
John HustonScreenplay:
Evan JonesCinematography:
Gerry FisherComposer:
Bill ContiCast:
Michael Caine, Sylvester Stallone, Max von Sydow, Daniel Massey, Pelé, Clive Merrison, Maurice Roëves, Carole Laure, Anton Diffring, Jean-François Stévenin (more)VOD (2)
Plots(1)
A group of P.O.W.s at a German prison camp agree to compete against Nazi soccer players in this World War II drama set in 1943 Occupied Europe. German Major Karl von Steiner, who played soccer professionally before the war, comes up with the idea. When his superior officers find out about the competition, they pit the Allies against Germany's best team -- but they don't realize that the P.O.W.s plan to use the upcoming big game as a means of escaping. The Allied team includes John Colby, a British officer who also played soccer before the war, and Robert Hatch, an American soldier who cares far more about gaining his freedom than the game itself. When the P.O.W.s realize they have a good shot at beating the Nazi team in front of a huge crowd, they must decide what's more important: finishing the match or getting out alive. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Videos (1)
Reviews (3)
Michael Caine and Max von Sydow's dialogues are sensational (as is Sydow's scene at the end). The whole film is a sporting variation on the legendary The Great Escape, Stallone's character even resembles Steve McQueen in some ways, but I didn't mind that at all. I'm not a big football fan (and maybe that's why I liked the film so much, if I ignored the mistakes), but Victory is one of my favorite WWII escape-themed films. I round up three and a half stars for the best soundtrack Bill Conti ever composed.
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Nothing special, but watchable compared to most films with a similar theme. Stallone is terrible, but since he's playing an American who's never played soccer, this may be the performance of his life, because you really don't believe his goalie for a second.
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An underwhelming film set in a WWII POW camp that may only please die-hard football fans and admirers of Pelé. But even they might get bored, and even great actors can't pull it off.
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Gallery (30)
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