This film came out in late 1976, basically the day before I turned 13. My dad was a big Jack Higgins fan (the author of the book), and so we would have seen this movie early in its run. I loved it as a kid, and saw it a decade or so later on a rented VHS. So when I watched the blu ray just the other day, it had been roughly 35 years.
But I remembered significant swaths of this film, and it was a great viewing experience. I remembered enough to get that bit of nostalgia fix, but had forgotten enough details to still have some sense of discovery. The blu ray looks and sounds great! There are a couple of blurry shots fairly early on, but otherwise, this movie hasn't looked better since it came out in theaters.
A brief summary: in the waning days of WWII, a random remark by Hitler sparks a daring plan. To kidnap Winston Churchill and bring him to Germany. Under secret orders from Heinrich Himmler (the always fun Donald Pleasance), colonel Robert Duvall develops a plan to carry this off. Using an annoying Irish spy (Donald Sutherland) who is eager to strike a blow against the Brits and a paratrooper unit led by Michael Caine...the Germans disguise themselves and land in a small village in Britain where Churchill is planning to visit. That's all I'll say, except to note that plenty of twists and turns abound.
It's somewhat daring for the fact that we cannot help but root for Caine and company to succeed. We meet Caine early on, and see that he and his men are soldiers with some honor amidst the darker proceedings in Germany. When battle scenes are waged later in the film, the viewer's loyalties may be torn.
This is an old-fashioned movie in many ways. Yes, it's nearly 50 years old now, but beyond that, it's directed with solid craftsmanship by John Sturges (THE GREAT ESCAPE, a Top 10 all-time for me). It lets it's meaty plot and great cast just run with things. Unfussy. But also with a big, bombastic score and some sweeping establishing shots that you just don't get anymore. The plot is all, really, and the actors inhabit their characters in ways that keep loyalties easy to understand, intentions clear and the beats of the plot well covered. Although several surprising events happen, we never feel they are cheats or unearned.
Michael Caine is great here. This is mid-career Caine at its most solid. It's a no-nonsense film and he gives it a no-nonsense performance. We see his determination, honor and dignity. He's a "good guy" even if he's on the wrong side. Robert Duvall, in a thankless role, really, because he's left behind in German and doesn't get to have any "fun", is solid and convincing. Jenny Agutter appears in a key role (I won't say more) and I had a pang of regret that for so many years, her career fizzled. She is a strong and likeable presence. Donald Sutherland is smarmy and snarky, with a slightly over-baked Irish accent, but he is the film's comic relief to a large extent. Well, except for the small but absolutely hilarious turn from Larry Hagman as an unskilled officer, who charges into the fray with no plan or forethought. I remembered enjoying his nutso performance decades ago, and it holds up very well. His character, it could be argued, really belongs in a different movie...but he's so darn enjoyable! Only Treat Williams fails to create any spark in his performance. Everyone else feels free to chew the scenery just a little bit, and Williams apparently didn't care to join in.
The action sequences, though tame by today's standards, are still reasonably exciting. Overall, this is just a good, solid, entertaining film. I imagine it would put younger viewers (like under 40) to sleep; but I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to a different era of filmmaking.
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Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 5, 2021
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 10, 2021
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 14, 2021
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 8, 2020
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 9, 2021
Top reviews from other countries
Makara
Great film, nice steel-book, superb extras, disappointing package!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on February 27, 2021Miss. Gemma Young
Worth watching on Blu Ray and DVD.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on December 30, 2019
rbmusicman/and/movie-fan'
THE PLOT TO KIDNAP WINSTON CHURCHILL
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on July 28, 2020
Bellowing Rap
Always good Saturday afternoon type war movie
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on February 11, 2022A.J.Bradley
Read The Book Instead, If You Haven't Already...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on January 3, 2020
