MovieChat Forums > Victory (1981) Discussion > Why this film was stupid

Why this film was stupid

posted 19 years ago by dt-uk-1
28 replies | jump to latest

1. Whilst Sly is celebrating the penalty save, he boots the ball back in play. Put the ball in the back of the net, Jerries.

2. Michael Caine, playing an experienced England and West Ham player, refuses to tell Sly where to stand for a corner kick. He neglects to tell the American until 30 minutes later in the film.

3. It's only a draw.

4. The French give the anthem the full whack, despite no Frenchmen being on the pitch.

5. Only one Nazi officer gives the Fuhrer salute.

6. The Germans should be shot for letting a 4 goal lead slip.

7. A game's more important than escaping persecution.

8. A flat cap is used as a cunning disguise. Pele being the only black man in 1940's France.

9. A bicycle kick is enough to stop the holocaust.

10. They only draw.

11. Any sensible officer would open fire on the blokes opening the gates.

12. Even so, they'd only run into Nazi-controlled streets, resulting in probable death.

13. Caine's constant 'Giz it here' instructions are a testament to his on-pitch management skills.

Still, it's only a film.

[–] EddieLarge 19 years ago

A witty rebuke to this poorly realised production.

[–] valtuun 19 years ago

>The French give the anthem the full whack, despite no Frenchmen being on the pitch.

Note that the national anthem "La Marseillase" was popular in resistance movement. It was also popular working class and revolution song. The song was forbidden in that time in France.

Allies play also in french colour. White shirt, in which is blue and red stripe. Colours are symbols of Freedom, Equality and Brotherhood.

[–] valtuun 19 years ago

>A game's more important than escaping persecution

Do you mean the game is more important to allies than the escape? Isn't that just great thing in the film. After Fernandez (Pele) says to Hatch: "If we leave now, we loose more than a game", everyone wants to play.
OK. The film is a bit naive. But I think it's not so bad at all.

> Only one Nazi officer gives the Fuhrer salute.
? Many of them do. And all the german players do too.

>Any sensible officer would open fire on the blokes opening the gates.

Sensible?? Hmm..

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] judd_clarke 19 years ago

I think if 'Escape To Victory' goes over your head, you're in big trouble.

[–] wmlopez 8 years ago

I would think the German soldiers would have opened fire also back then when the mob raced on the field.

[–] keeleboy 19 years ago

Victor Lazlo (Czech) and Elsa (Danish) sing la marseillese in casablanca, which, even though it was set in French morroco, was utterly devoid of Frenchman, save the camp chief of police. It was a resistance song, and why wouldn't the French audience sing their national anthem as a mark of defiance to their german overlords?

It is just a film, and a rather amusing and feel good film at that

[–] noobzilla 18 years ago

funny is..

when someone tries to be sarcastic with the 'i dont give a crap anyway..
but listen to me whine..'

then goes on devoting a large post filled with whine after whine..

Its a movie.. I liked it.

I didnt whine luke skywalker shot the 10 inch hole in the death
star and the whole damn thing blew up...

get a grip.

[–] kkuger 17 years ago

I do know that one of the P.O.W.'s is wearing a French uniform shirt during the scene where the allies are changing before the game. He may have been wearing a British B.D. blouse over it until that point, but it is clearly a French shirt with French insignia: khaki shirt with black diamond shaped patches on the collar. If he was Free-French he probably would have worn a mish mash of French, U.S. and British uniform and kit.

[–] vickic531 17 years ago

Why this film was stupid.... can be summed up in two words: SYLVESTER STALLONE

He was absolutely terrible in this movie. Could've been decent if he wasn't in it - I'd love to know what the casting director was thinking or smoking!

Heck, the footballers were better actors than Sly. He should've stuck to "yo adrian".

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Support Guiding Eyes for the Blind www.guidingeyes.org

"A transplanted Rebel" Vicki

[–] lroy77 15 years ago

Would a soccer team really ever have been such international with all different countries (paying in mind with different cultures, language barriers etc.) or is this just for the benefit of the movie.

Would such a game with an international team be possible today in the real world?

[–] mikeyg24 14 years ago

Well todays club football teams comprise of players from many different countries. For example the 2010/11 Manchester United squad comprised of players from Holland, Poland, Britain & Ireland, Brazil, France, Serbia, Portugal, Ecuador, Korea, Mexico and Bulgaria most of whom were all on the pitch simultaneously for most games last season, so it is possible.

Back then it was much less common for a player to play for any club other than within his own country so I imagine it would have been much more difficult but not impossible.

Your's sincerely, General Joseph Liebgott

[–] chrissso 8 years ago

English is so much more more prevalent today than in 1940. More so a great footballer who speaks no English will have a translator ... like baseballers in the US. There was little money in football in the 40's ... clubs where local athletic clubs. So yes this is a highly improbable movie ... and not a very good one at that.

[–] mikeyg24 8 years ago

and not a very good one at that.

In your opinion! Which is worth very little from someone who likes baseball!

We have to show the world that not all of us are like him: Henning von Tresckow.

[–] chrissso 8 years ago

Why would you think that I like baseball? Just because I mentioned they use translators?

[–] pizzadudes 17 years ago

14. A Germany player missing a penalty. I can suspend my disbelief... but come on, that's taking it too far!

[–] ian-1113 17 years ago

was a bit naff at times but its based on a true story of a football match between the germans and pows the agreement being if the germans won then the pows go free but if the pows won then they would be shot resulting in pows deciding to go for victory result being they won.......and faced the consequences

[–] Corner_House_guest 16 years ago

Ian 1113 - Isnt that Dinamo Kyiv who were renamed Staurs[?] by the occupying Germans? This story is viewed as Soviet propaganda now in the Ukraine but everyone in Britain is convinced.

According to Wikipedia
The movie is based on the 1961 Hungarian film drama Két félidő a pokolban ("Two half-times in Hell"), which was directed by Zoltán Fábri and won the critics' award at the 1962 Boston Cinema Festival. [1]

The film was inspired by the true story of Dynamo Kyiv's players, who defeated German soldiers while Ukraine was occupied by German troops in World War II. According to myth, as a result of their victory, the Ukrainians were all shot. The true story is considerably more complex, as the team played a series of matches against German teams, emerging victorious in all of them, before finally being sent to prison camps by the Gestapo. Most of the team were killed there, but a few survived.

[–] estbob-1 16 years ago

Of course it's stupid. Typical boys own story, tongue firmly in the cheek. We all need that once in a while.

I notice in your summing up, that they drew twice. Nice if you had it down on your 8 from 10.

Chill out.

"Go, and never darken my towels again."

[–] mikeyg24 16 years ago

1. Whilst Sly is celebrating the penalty save, he boots the ball back in play. Put the ball in the back of the net, Jerries. Ordinarily but you hear the referee blow the final whistle.

2. Michael Caine, playing an experienced England and West Ham player, refuses to tell Sly where to stand for a corner kick. He neglects to tell the American until 30 minutes later in the film. I think the point is Colby figures it doesn't really matter where he stood, the point was moot. Initially they weren't supposed to win they were supposed to escape.

3. It's only a draw. Rather than the tired old predictable win for the allies?

4. The French give the anthem the full whack, despite no Frenchmen being on the pitch. The match was being played in Paris being viewed by French! Did you expect them to sing God save the Queen?

5. Only one Nazi officer gives the Fuhrer salute. Incorrect a number of SS officers give the Nazi salute. The Germans who give the military salute were members of the Wehrmacht which was their custom.

6. The Germans should be shot for letting a 4 goal lead slip. That doesn't even deserve a civil reply!

7. A game's more important than escaping persecution. While the Germans promoted the game as a propaganda event the Allies new they could turn it around. Remember this is a movie. It's called drama for a reason.

8. A flat cap is used as a cunning disguise. Pele being the only black man in 1940's France. Just goes to show your ignorance (or stupidity). France has always had the highest number of black immigrants in Europe coming from North Africa.

9. A bicycle kick is enough to stop the holocaust. Where you got that from I don't know. You actually come across more stupid as your questions continue.

10. They only draw. You already said that.

11. Any sensible officer would open fire on the blokes opening the gates. You are actually an idiot! Even the holocaust took place behind closed doors. There's no way the Germans could afford to commit such a public massacre.

12. Even so, they'd only run into Nazi-controlled streets, resulting in probable death. Think about it! How did the resistance survive so long?

13. Caine's constant 'Giz it here' instructions are a testament to his on-pitch management skills. You've never played football then?

IN FUTURE I SUGGEST YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY AND THEN...JUST DON'T!!!

30 January 1972

[–] BobaHat 16 years ago

Well spoken Mikey. I was about to make the same points. The OP is just a whiney toad who needs an excuse to complain about a perfectly entertaining movie (that doesn't take itself too seriously anyway).

Don't use Caps though... It comes off as shouting.

[–] mikeyg24 16 years ago

Yeah sorry it was before I had the hang of the html tags and I was looking for a way to distinguish between what he said and my replies.

Awe Skinny you got blood all over my trousers. Jeez I'm real sorry Frank!

[–] noobzilla 14 years ago

this is an ESCAPE movie.. not a sports movie.. not a soccer movie.. not a stallone movie..

Not stallones best, no.. but who cares. He wasnt intended to be the focus of this film..

The game ends in a tie, point being the allies didnt let germany win.. AND they escaped.. The film goes a good way to show how sports, at least within Sydow's character, binds man even in wartime.. even within evil nazi germany.

Its a good escape story.. very good. Its also a good sports film... overall I love the entire premise of the film.

Underated.

John Huston did a great job somewhat out of his element.

-- 'you're a good man, sister.' Humphrey Bogart

[–] pablo-taylor 13 years ago

Crap film but for the record; Pele would most certainly not have been "the only black man in 1940's Paris".

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] PaladinNJ (21772) 6 years ago

I can answer three of these questions:
3 & 10) It was a draw but everyone present knew the foul that disqualified the Allies goal was bull. So for them it was a symbolic win.
11) Most typical Germans were not the madmen people think they were (The higher ups and the Nazi fanatics most definitely were). It would have been very hard for any sensible soldier to just blindly fire into a crowd of civilians.

One thing I've always wondered though: What would be the repercussions of Von Steiner's jubilant applause at Pele's goal and then just watching them escape rather than join the other Nazi officers?