Situation Hopeless -- But Not Serious

19651965
Not RatedNot Rated
1h 37m

During WW2, a lonely German air-raid warden captures two downed American airmen and keeps them prisoner in his basement way past the end of the war.During WW2, a lonely German air-raid warden captures two downed American airmen and keeps them prisoner in his basement way past the end of the war.During WW2, a lonely German air-raid warden captures two downed American airmen and keeps them prisoner in his basement way past the end of the war.

6.0/10

444

Director
- Gottfried Reinhardt
Writers
- Silvia Reinhardt(screenplay)
- Jan Lustig(adaptation)
- Robert Shaw(novel "The Hiding Place")
Stars

Top credits

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Robert Redford and Mike Connors at an event for Situation Hopeless -- But Not Serious (1965)

Mike Connors at an event for Situation Hopeless -- But Not Serious (1965)

Anita Höfer in Situation Hopeless -- But Not Serious (1965)

During World War II, two Americans are forced to bail out and parachute into a small German town. Herr Frick, being equal parts patriotic and lonely, keeps them as prisoners of war in his bomb shelter. While his prisoners go stir crazy, Herr Frick must decide if he's willing to lose their companionship by letting them know the war has ended. —Sean Starke <starke@worldcom.com>

captive world war two based on novel prisoner of war pilot 6 more

Taglines
- What Kind of Prisoner of War Camp is THIS?
Genres
- Comedy
- War
Certificate
- Not Rated
Parents guide
- Add content advisory

Trivia
The title is a variation of an old Viennese saying; "The situation is desperate, but not serious." A direct influence on the title comes from Billy Wilder's One, Two, Three (1961). In it, James Cagney coaches Horst Buchholz to tell Buchholz's American father-in-law that the situation is "serious, but not hopeless." A flustered Buchholz tells his father-in-law, "The situation is hopeless, but not serious."

Goofs
The opening shows B17s flying over Germany in 1944 but the aircraft from which the 2 parachutes appear is a C130 Hercules aircraft which didn't fly until 1954.

Quotes
Wilhelm Frick: Americans cannot be happy without freedom. In Germany, we never had freedom. Therefore, we have philosophy.

Connections
Remake of Playhouse 90: The Hiding Place (1960)

Soundtracks
Situation Hopeless But Not Serious
(uncredited)
Music by Leon Carr
Lyrics by Earl Schuman
Sung by Mady Rahl

Top review

Offbeat.....But entertaining.

An American bomber goes down over Germany during WWII and two of its crew one officer and one sergeant find themselves as captives of a German civilian in his cellar. Alec Guinness, Robert Redford and Mike Connors star in this mid 60's comedy/drama caper. Guinness plays a somewhat milquetoast civilian who decides to hold the duo in his cellar. However once the war ends he fails to release them or alert the authorities opting instead to keep them informed the war is still going on by making up his own news on the conflict. The film lags at certain points but is still an entertaining off beat story.

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