Victory (1981)

Director:

John Huston

Writers:

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

Release Date:

30 July 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | 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:

Goal Keeper | Escape | Intrigue | Prison | Soccer

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

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:PG (video rating) (1987) | UK:A (original rating) | Iceland:L | West Germany:6 (f) | Finland:K-12 | Norway:12 | Sweden:11 | USA:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Budapest, Hungary

Company:

Lorimar Film Entertainment

Trivia:

The stadium used for the football match, although supposed to be the Stade Colombes in Paris, is actually in Budapest, Hungary. This is because the producers had difficulty finding a large stadium without floodlights, as floodlights at football stadiums were largely unknown until well after WW2. The MTK stadium in Budapest was the biggest one without lights (but at the same time structurally similar to Continental stadiums that were around during WW2) that they could find.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: Assorted anachronisms and factual errors relating to the rules of Association Football.

Quotes:

Hatch: This frigging game is ruining my life.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Pelé Eterno (2004)

Soundtrack:

Symphony 5, 4th movement

Soccer with honor

One of the all time greats, you have the greatest soccer players in the world in this movie, which shows that they were willing to give up their freedom to win this game, one of my all-time favorite war movies!