The Victors (1963)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Carl Foreman

Writers:

Alexander Baron (novel)
Carl Foreman (written for the screen by)

Release Date:

19 December 1963 (USA)

Genre:

War | Drama

Plot:

Intelligent, sprawling saga of a squad of American soldiers, following them through Europe during World War II.

Plot Keywords:

WWII | Beautiful Woman | Based On Novel

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Vince Edwards	...	Baker (as Vincent Edwards)
Albert Finney	...	Russian Soldier
George Hamilton	...	Trower
Melina Mercouri	...	Magda
Jeanne Moreau	...	French Woman
George Peppard	...	Cpl. Chase
Maurice Ronet	...	French Lieutenant
Rosanna Schiaffino	...	Maria
Romy Schneider	...	Regine
Elke Sommer	...	Helga
Eli Wallach	...	Sgt. Craig
Michael Callan	...	Eldridge
Peter Fonda	...	Weaver
James Mitchum	...	Grogan (as Jim Mitchum)
Senta Berger	...	Trudi

Runtime:

175 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French | German | Italian | Russian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System) | Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

France

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Goofs:

Factual errors: "Psst! Feind hört mit" meaning "Shh! Enemy is listening" appears in a scene on a wall. Then it changes to incorrect "Psst! Feine hört mit". Then it changes to the correct first version again.

Quotes:

Sgt. Craig: To Corporal Chase in the hospital: Stupid idiot! Get outta here!

Movie Connections:

Edited into Bass on Titles (1977)

Soundtrack:

Sweet Talk

right there with The Pawnbroker

I saw this movie forty one years ago and the feelings it engendered have never left me, even if the details are dim. Back in the post world war II era and before Viet Nam created vast dissent in the US, war was presented as the patriotic undertaking of young men. It's what a man did. No movie I had ever seen showed the human cost of war in this way. I was just a teenager raised on John Wayne movies at that time.

The next movie I saw which evoked such strong feelings was "The Pawnbroker".

Recently I tried to get both movies at a local video store for my daughter who is a film student and could not. Then I started asking around at other video stores and no one had it. I live in Chicago and everything should be available. This made me wonder why had I also never seen re-runs on TV or heard these movies discussed in film programs. I believe the answer is that both these movies create feelings that are impossible for most to cope with-they are after some thirty and forty years still too difficult. They both end in despairing desolation.