Victory (1981)

Director:

John Huston

Writers:

Yabo Yablonsky (story) and
Djordje Milicevic (story) ...

Release Date:

30 July 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Sport | War

Tagline:

Their goal was freedom...

Plot:

As allied POWs prepare for a soccer game against the German National Team to be played in Nazi-occupied Paris, the French Resistance and British officers are making plans for the team's escape.

Plot Keywords:

Escape | Soccer | Soccer Football | Prisoner Of War | Goal Keeper

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Sylvester Stallone	...	Captain Robert Hatch
Michael Caine	...	Capt. John Colby - The Players: England
Pelé	...	Cpl. Luis Fernandez - Allied Soccer Player - The Players: Trinidad
Bobby Moore	...	Terry Brady - Allied Soccer Player - The Players: England
Osvaldo Ardiles	...	Carlos Rey - Allied Soccer Player - The Players: Argentina
Paul Van Himst	...	Michel Fileu - The Players: Belgium
Kazimierz Deyna	...	Paul Wolchek - The Players: Poland
Hallvar Thoresen	...	Gunnar Hilsson - The Players: Norway
Mike Summerbee	...	Sid Harmor - Allied Soccer Player - The Players: England
Co Prins	...	Pieter Van Beck - The Players: Holland
Russell Osman	...	Doug Clure - The Players
John Wark	...	Arthur Hayes - The Players: Scotland
Søren Lindsted	...	Erik Ball - Allied Soccer Player - The Players: Denmark
Kevin O'Callaghan	...	Tony Lewis - Allied Goalkeeper - The Players: Ireland
Max von Sydow	...	Major Karl Von Steiner - The Germans (as Max Von Sydow)

Also Known As:

Escape to Victory (UK)

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1987) | Iceland:L | West Germany:6 (f) | Sweden:15 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Norway:12 | USA:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Budapest, Hungary

Company:

Lorimar Film Entertainment

Trivia:

Sylvester Stallone initially received training from England's World Cup winning goalkeeper, Gordon Banks. After only a few days of training Stallone dismissed Banks, saying that anybody could play in goal without trouble and he didn't see what all the fuss was about. During filming however, Stallone constantly kept flinging himself about in an exaggerated acrobat-like manner and dislocated a shoulder, broke two ribs and received extensive bruises. Afterwards he admitted that he should have listened to Banks more carefully and commented that it was harder than fighting in the Rocky movies.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The microphone used by the radio announcer at the soccer match is an RCA model 77B, a model not introduced until the late-1940s.

Quotes:

[just before the football match]
Hatch: Where do I stand for a corner kick?
Capt. John Colby - The Players: England: At the far post, facing the ball.
Hatch: Thanks. For a while there I thought you were keeping it a secret.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Ban the Sadist Videos! (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

Symphony 5, 4th movement

Motivating Movie

Many people have passed negative comments about this film.If you study it closely, though, you will notice many positive and original scenes.

The football is not exaggerated like many other sporting Movies.

I first saw it when it was released in 1981/82 and thought it was very good. As a War film it is only average, but as a Football spectacle it is very interesting. The fact that the makers used real life footballers, including the great man himself "Pele" is original. We are actually seeing first class football players do their stuff in a controlled Movie enviroment... Heck some of them even try to act!

I think Michael Caine and Sly would have enjoyed making this Movie.

The message from the Movie is that Football is a game which is understood by everyone and will always be played under any circumstances. It is the Universal game and always will be!