Von Ryan's Express (1965)

Masterful Movie

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Disappointment for a huge fan!

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

...because I usually don't like war movies. Maybe one in twenty...and I saw lots of them because when my dad would come home on leave from the Air Force, if there was a World War II film at the theater, he would always drag me to see it. I also am sure this is a good film because I could take Frank Sinatra or leave Frank Sinatra...it just depended on the particular film (or for that matter, record). Sinatra could certainly tug at your heartstrings...occasionally...perhaps the best examples being "A Hole In The Head" and "The Joker Is Wild". He didn't pull at your heart strings in "Von Ryan's Express" (except for the very last couple of minutes), but he did turn in a very good performance here. Some have mentioned that he was too old for the part. Well, technically I suppose that is true, but if you're worrying about that, then you're too damn picky. Who was too old for the part was Trevor Howard. Actually, Howard and Sinatra were close to the same age, but Sinatra looks pretty good here, while Howard looks all washed out (of course, you could make the case that war will do that to you).The other actors here do nicely, too. As to the plot, implausible? Sure, like most movies out there. I didn't find myself suspending belief here any more than I have to for most films. I particularly liked seeing Edward Mulhare; a very good but largely forgotten supporting actor. You'll see other faces you recognize, as well, but probably not whose names you remember.Location shooting for this film helped a lot, although some of the locations were no in Italy, but instead in Spain.If you like Sinatra and war films even a little, I think you'll like this film. I recommend it. I give it a very strong "7".HOWEVER, if you are updating your DVD collection with Blu Ray discs...don't bother. The Blu Ray disc I bought of this was somewhat grainy in many spots. It won't prevent you from enjoying the film, but it is noticeable and occasionally distracting.

The movie is of prison of war and all about their escape. I thought movie would be boring but I was wrong. Splendid movie made me cry at last part. There is nothing to criticize in this movie. All the characters did their part very well. A bit of suspense you can find. And the movie is not predictable. You'll never loose your interest while watching it. I'll add this movie in my list.

Copyright 23 June 1965 by P-R Productions. Released through 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. New York opening simultaneously at Loew's State and the Tower East: 23 June 1965. U.S. release: 23 June 1965. U.K. release: 16 August 1965. Sydney opening at the Regent. 117 minutes. Cut to 110 minutes in the U.K.NOTES: Nominated for an Academy Award for Sound Effects, losing to the only other nominee, "The Great Race". Number 9 at the U.S. box- office for 1965. Number 7 at U.K. ticket- windows. The movie did equal business in Australia. Locations for the $6,000,000 epic follows the route of the escaping POW's, from the Adriatic coast of central Italy, through Rome, Pisa, Florence, Bologna, Milan and the Italian Alps which lead to Switzerland. Many key scenes were enacted in railroad stations, and these were filmed by conventional methods. Aboard the speeding train, Robson had to utilize techniques which introduced the element of danger to his task. A camera jeep was fitted out with special wheels to enable it to ride on the tracks at speeds up to 90 miles per hour. Robson and his camera crew were perched in a rostrum atop the jeep as they chased after Von Ryan's Express.COMMENT: My one and only complaint is that the ending is a bit abrupt — none of the usual obligatory shots of the train winding on. Right then and there, I — and the rest of the audience — wanted to see it all over again. For a powerful and compelling use of CinemaScope, it's hard to go past Von Ryan's Express. Typical Hollywood — just as a medium is mastered and finally licked into artistic and entertaining shape, it's jettisoned for some new fad... CinemaScope was never more involving than in this movie which seems to have been specifically designed from the outset with all the capabilities of the wider screen firmly in mind.A war picture with a difference. True, there's plenty of gun-'em- down action, but there's also suspenseful drama to pin it all on, including an arresting character conflict — grippingly acted — between Sinatra's 90-day American colonel and Howard's seeded professional British major. The support players are not wanting in charisma either, particularly strong performances coming from Edward Mulhare as the padre, Fantoni, Celi, Carra, Preiss and even Ivan Triesault (speaking German like a native).Von Ryan's Express is a must for all train buffs of course, with the last half of the film excitingly staged on actual Italian locations. Robson heads up unusually fine technical credits. His direction here has an unobtrusive efficiency and confidence often lacking in his more morally ambitious projects.

It is hard for me to believe that this film is now 51 years old. It seems like only yesterday that i stumbled on this gem in my first flush of cinema going youth. Based on a popular book of the era, this is world war 2 as adventure, and not in any way a recreation of events. Do not confuse this action escape yarn with the John Frankenheimer/Burt Lancaster drama The Train, that excellent movie is a very different animal. In Mark Rodson's Von Ryan's Express the emphasis is on entertaining high adventure and in its day this was an exciting escape thriller. Sinatra in his most successful box office role plays a brash self motivated American officer who leads a mostly British train load of prisoners of war to safety via the Swiss alps from internment in occupied Italy aided by many good none Nazi Italian's. The friction between the stiff regimented Brit's and the free loading American improvisation has been done so many times it has long been a creche but here it is very entertainingly achieved.I do hope i will not spoil the film for a first time viewer but the ending differs from the book with a so dull but very period down beat ending. As a foot note back in 1965 pop music and the charts was my generations "Cell Phone/Computer Game" where we were at, happening! Only slowly therefore did i discover Sinatra was a singer first and an actor second, but to this very day, i consider Sinatra a true movie star. Please give "Von Ryan's Express" a watch and i'm sure you will enjoy this cinematic moment in time.