Independent Films, Film Profiles

Escape to Victory

Escape to Victory, known simply as Victory in North America, is a 1981 film about Allied prisoners of war who are interned in a German prison camp during World War II. The film was directed by John Huston and stars Michael Caine, Sylvester Stallone and Max von Sydow.The film received great attention upon its theatrical release, as it also starred football superstars Bobby Moore, Osvaldo Ardiles, Kazimierz Deyna and Pelé. Numerous Ipswich Town F.C. players were also in the film, including John Wark, Russell Osman, Laurie Sivell, Robin Turner and Kevin O'Callaghan. Further Ipswich Town players stood in for actors in the football scenes - Kevin Beattie for Michael Caine, and Paul Cooper for Sylvester Stallone. The script was written by Yabo Yablonsky.Association Football plays an integral part of the film. The prisoners of war (POWs), coached and represented by John Colby (Michael Caine), who was a professional footballer for West Ham before the war, agree to play an exhibition match against a German team, only to find themselves involved in a German propaganda stunt. In the end, the POWs can leave the German camp only to play the match; they are to be imprisoned again following the match. During the game, despite the match officials being heavily biased towards the Germans, and the German team causing several deliberate injuries to the Allied players, a draw is achieved after great performances from Luis Fernandez (portrayed by Pelé), Carlos Rey (portrayed by Osvaldo Ardiles) and Arthur Hayes (portrayed by John Wark). American soldier Robert Hatch (Sylvester Stallone) plays the goalkeeping position, and makes excellent saves including one last save on a penalty kick as time expires to deny the Germans the win, drawing the game 4-4. Although, the POWs scored a goal which was disallowed by the referee, for a dubious offside decision, making the score 5-4 which prompted the crowd to shout "Victory!"Some team members plan to escape at halftime (in an escape led by Hatch) but the rest of the team (led by Russell Osman saying "but we can win this") want to carry on with the game, despite being behind at halftime. They manage to escape at the end of the game, amidst the confusion caused by the crowd storming the field after Hatch preserves the draw.V is used frequently in the film, particularly in the final match. This is a nod towards the title of the film (Escape to Victory, or simply Victory in some countries). As Pelé scores the fourth goal, equalising the match, his legs make a clear V-shape which is held in slow-motion. The V-shaped two-fingered salute of defiance popular in British culture is brandished by several spectators. The goal that is wrongly disallowed would have been the Allies fourth, and would have given them five goals overall, in Roman Numerals this is a V.