MovieChat Forums > Where Eagles Dare (1969) Discussion > Von Hapen finding the helicopter pilot a...

Von Hapen finding the helicopter pilot and telephone operator?

posted 12 years ago by Koosh_King01
4 replies | jump to latest

In the film, it shows von Hapen walking purposefully through the courtyard and casting a glance at the unoccupied helicopter, in the middle of opening his holster to draw his Luger. The next time he's seen is entering the dining room, the same way Smith and Schaffer came, with his Luger drawn.

Since he came the same way they did, this would've taken him past the telephone office, where we know Smith and Schaffer left the dead bodies of the helicopter pilot and phone operator. I've seen a publicity still (?) of von Hapen exiting the telephone office with his Luger out, looking alarmed/angry. In Alistair MacClean's novel, he does indeed go into that room and find the pilot and operator (albeit alive and tied up, since the novel is less violent than the film) which is what confirms his suspicions something is up and that there are intruders.

So, is there a cut scene of von Hapen entering the office and finding the bodies before he goes to the dining hall?

"I mean, really, how many times will you look under Jabba's manboobs?"

[–] spookyrat1 12 years ago

I don't recall him specifically going into that office, before going in to the dining hall. The door was closed and it only had very small windows if any. Smith and Schafer may have locked it.

[–] Koosh_King01 12 years ago

Well, yes, in he finished film he doesn't, I was just questioning if the photo I alluded to was evidence that in a deleted scene, he did.

"I mean, really, how many times will you look under Jabba's manboobs?"

[–] spookyrat1 12 years ago

I don't know of any specific deleted scene involving that office, but there may well be.

You'd probably be aware a lot of stuff gets left on the cutting room floor in the editing process, even from trailers to the feature itself. It's a 158 minute film, which originally had an intermission I think, so possibly the gestapo major peeking into the office was excised. We knew from his preceding scene in the inn with Mary that his suspicions were already being aroused somewhat.

[–] Koosh_King01 12 years ago

Glancing at the novel out of curiosity, a couple of similar scenes to the one I suggested do occur, wherein Captain von Brauchitsch (as von Hapen is named in the book) finds and frees the tied-up Germans before proceeding to the dining room.

I can only assume that, if such a scene of von Hapen finding the bodies was filmed, it was nixed for time or because it wasn't needed (since as you say he was already suspicious because of Mary).

"I mean, really, how many times will you look under Jabba's manboobs?"