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:

References Little Miss Marker (1934)

Soundtrack:

Does Goodnight Mean Goodby?

AN EXTRAORDINARY NEW KIND OF WAR FILM

Carl Foreman's "The Victors" is extraordinary for two reasons:

1) it emphasizes the characters over the action

2) while being a "spot the star" flick, this is a film made up of smaller stars.

Among the "smaller" stars in this, we have Vince Edwards, George Hamilton, Albert Finney, Peter Fonda, Eli Wallach and George Peppard. Perhaps they are not as big as the ones who appeared in the popular war epics of the time, but I think it benefits from this approach. The film is a bunch of low-key stories strung together by the war and these low-key actors are perfect for this approach.

There are action scenes. It wouldn't be a war film without them. But after a while, I got tired of action scene after action scene and I appreciated a film that let us get to know these soldiers and how they felt about the war and life. It predates Terrence Malick's "The Thin Red Line" by about 33 years, but it's just as effective.

Carl Foreman was famously blacklisted during the 1950s and only now is his work appreciated. His credits include "The Bridge Over The River Kwai" and "The Guns of Navarone" and in this, his directorial debut, he demonstrates the skill and drama of the earlier pictures along with the character studies. The result: a richly textured film, one of 1963's best. If only more people knew about it. Columbia, if you're reading this, release it on tape and DVD NOW!

**** out of 4 stars