Ryan s damaged p38 flies over an italian city, as portrayed by a real p38 or a reasonably accurate model. Colonel ryan is taken to a prisoner of war camp run by major basilio battaglia. Henry advises that the common belief about the set being built in italy is incorrect with proof contained in the industry author by saul david and published by times books in. The screenplay concerns a group of allied prisoners of war who conduct a daring escape by hijacking a freight train and fleeing through germanoccupied italy to switzerland. Movies, tv, celebs, and more is this movie based on a book. Frank sinatra mandated that this movies ending be changed, and subsequently this destroyed any possibility of a sequel that the 20th century fox studio was considering. Kinds of music, make time, cry, superstar, boxer, my books. It is based on a novel by david westheimer, but sinatra insisted the ending be changed. To refer to this film as exhilarating is, i admit, the mildest bit misleading. It is a star vehicle for frank sinatra and he gives one of his most memorable performances. The studio also went to the trouble of constructing the prison.
Ryan frank sinatra is locked up with british prisoners, after his army air corp plane crashes in a nearby town. Oriani goes with them, deciding he is done forever with fascists and. This ending would have allowed ryan, the movies central character, to appear in a sequel. This movie is much better when seen in its original widescreen format. After all, colonel ryan is rather sarcastic throughout the rest of the film, too. A thousand british and american pows learn to hate the american colonel who singlehandedly shapes them up.
Directed by 1 writing credits 5 cast 47 produced by 2 music by 1 cinematography by 1 film editing by 1 art direction by 2 set decoration by 2 makeup department 6 production management 2 second unit director or assistant director 2. The book ending is also different than in the movie in that ryan survives. Having seemingly made errors of judgment, ryan has to. The wrecked lightning appears to be a prop although the shape looks good for a p38, the markings are an inaccuate mix of prewar tail stripes and post 1947 usaf insignia on the wings. Jul 20, 2017 ryan, an american pow, leads his fellow prisoners on a dangerous escape from the germans in italy. The main character, ryan, can be hard to root for at times, but in the end he has the. Noone knew where he had gone, following the terrible triumph at perapolis, and the. Based on the novel by david westheimer, the film changes several aspects of the novel, most notably the ending, which is considerably more upbeat in the book. Ryan trevor howard major eric fincham brad dexter sergeant bostick sergio fantoni captain oriani as the allies take control of italy during wwii, the germans prepare to transfer the occupants of a pow camp to germany. The oscarnominated special effects range from some good miniature trains almost the entire nighttime firebombing scene to some dynamic but weakly superimposed.
While the majority of the prisoners at the camp are british. It doesnt matter if you catch it in the beginning or in the middle. An american pow leads a group of mainly british prisoners to escape from the germans in wwii. As sao senior american officer, he quickly puts a stop to disorder, and becomes the most hated man in the camp. In the original ending which appears in the source novel, ryan is not killed as with the films ending, he survives and with the other escaped pows, is able to get. Italys defeat may be imminent, but that causes only confusion for the british and american inmates. The story is straight forward and simple and doesnt require much attention to follow. He took photographs there are a couple reproduced here as he went from. Ryan 9frank sinatra, an american pow, leads his fellow prisoners on a dangerous escape from the germans in italy. Colonel ryans aircraft is spotted above the buildings. The deservedly famous ending goes against audience expectations. Furthermore, there is a semaphore at the end of the then double.
It is here that he meets major eric fincham trevor howard who has been in charge of the captured troops in the camp. Pulling rank on fincham, ryan takes charge and initially seems to be far too amiable with the german officers. They could just see, they said, its vivid story of a prisoner. Italys defeat may be imminent, but that causes only confusion for the british and. Be on the look out for the britannica for parents newsletter to deliver insightful facts for the family right to your inbox. My father, drafted after he graduated high school, was in the army of the occupation in italy, at the end of ww ii. To have a 1th armored division is a valid mistake as the highest number in wwii was the 20th armored division, unlike infantry divisions that went into the 100s. Henry advises that the common belief about the set being built in italy is incorrect with proof contained in the industry author by saul david and published by times books in 1981 isbn. See more ideas about frank sinatra, trevor howard, sinatra.
The story of an escape from a pow train, it was a bookofthemonth club selection before being. Frank changed the ending saying it would give the film a lot more meaning. It begins with colonel ryan an american being brought into an italianrun pow camp. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys starmeter awards san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. In the original ending which appears in the source novel, ryan is not killed as with the films ending, he survives and with the other escaped pows, is able to get to neutral switzerland. Author by saul david and published by times books in 1981 isbn. While the majority of the prisoners at the camp are british, a strongminded, quickwitted american air force colonel takes charge and leads the escape, which requires that the prisoners to sneak onto a german train bound for switzerland. Financially, it became one of sinatras most successful films. Frank sinatra, trevor howard, raffaella carra, brad dexter, sergio fantoni, john leyton, edward. S troops liberated a german prisonerofwar camp on april 29, 1945 bringing to an end the 28month ordeal of a houston newspaperman turned bomber navigator. On which railway line were the action scenes at the end of the movie shot.
Ryan sinatra, an american pilot, is shot down in fascist italy and put in a fascist prisoner of war camp there, where he becomes the new ranking officer among the allied prisoners. Its definitely a slowstarter, taking its sweet time for the action to build up. His most memorable if you were a teenage boy when the movie came out in 1965. The book by david westheimer is completely different. Frank sinatra mandated that this movies ending be changed and subsequently this destroyed any possibility of a sequel that the 20th century fox studio was considering. The novel was adapted for the screen by hollywood screenwriters wendell mayes and joseph landon. The cinematography has held up well, particularly during the climax eric referred to in the italian alps. Based on the novel by david westheimer, the film changes several aspects of the novel, most notably the ending, which is considerably more upbea. Now, colonel ryan s history previous to the start of the film is not described, but he must have experienced some harrowing events in his military career, and this has probably left him feeling cynical and bitter, so he is probably using sarcasm. It was ably directed by mark robson the bridges at tokori. Taken from the book released two years prior, the film is set in an italian prisoner of war camp, where col. There was a proposal to build one in the 1890s, but could not get the funds.
Like a strip from every schoolboys favourite, the commando comic, this is a ripping yarn of a wwii adventure story that also manages to rather subtly and neatly turn a particular hollywood cliche on its head. Feb 12, 2017 a war film starring frank sinatra and trevor howard. It inspired me to write my first novel, 2 years later as a christmas present for my sister, which was, sadly, historically rather inaccurate. Free download, borrow, and streaming internet archive. David westheimer novel, wendell mayes screenplay 1 more credit. This was supposed to be a novelization of the movie, but differed in many ways, including the ending, which to me.
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