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Von Ryan's Express

Play trailer Poster for Von Ryan's Express 1965 1h 57m War Play Trailer Watchlist
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90% Tomatometer 21 Reviews 82% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
World War II story about Allied prisoners who stage a mass breakout from an Italian POW camp, commandeer a train and head towards the Swiss border. As the Italian war effort collapses, the escapees are aided by their captors, but when the Germans catch on, they set out to halt the escape with an armored train and aerial attack.
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Von Ryan's Express

Critics Reviews

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William J. Nazzaro Arizona Republic 08/18/2021
If not quite Hollywood at its best, this hair-raising film about a mass escape of Allied war prisoners in Italy in 1943 should please most action fans. Go to Full Review
TIME Magazine 07/21/2017
After a sluggish beginning, Express starts to swing, and Frank swings with it Go to Full Review
Variety Staff Variety 05/26/2008
Mark Robson has made realistic use of the actual Italian setting of the David Westheimer novel in garmenting his action in hard-hitting direction and sharply-drawn performances. Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Nov 13
3/4
Choice escapist fare, the sort best watched on a lazy Saturday afternoon when it’s just too hot to venture far from the A/C. Go to Full Review
Eddie Harrison film-authority.com 11/05/2021
4/5
...as propulsive as the title suggests... Go to Full Review
Sergio Benítez Espinof 08/24/2019
The film only pretends, and manages, to entertain, nothing more. [Full Review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Richard M @rhmichaels Oct 10 Really fun, Frank Sinatra is outstanding See more Nik @Nikita66 Jun 5 I love this movie mostly because I love the Italian train scenes. The first half drags and there is some illogic here and there, but it's an exciting, well shot escape film. See more Daniel C. M Mar 8 A very entertaining (even in it's slower, River Kwai-esque first 20-30 minutes) that never really loses it's momentum nor derails the express (pun intended). Genuinely funny at it's comedic moments, impressive special effects that aged like fine wine, good story alongside a great performance by Sinatra himself, overrall just a great adventure that follows the steps of other great classics like the previously mentioned Bridge on The River Kwai and The Train. See more j t 05/15/2024 After a bit of a slow start this film delivers on all levels. Sinatra is good, Trevor Howard is excellent and Edward Mulhare steals every minute of every scene he was in - should've got a best supporting actor award for this. It holds up well over all this time and some of the scenery is terrific. One of the. better WWII films from that era. See more Rodney B @GreatNate 07/16/2023 Von Ryan's Express is a mashup of other war movies most of which were better. A sweatbox for Allied POW colonels? Think Bridge Over the River Kwai. A stolen train to flee from Nazis? Think The Train. Fighter pilots in World War II were generally in their mid-20s, yet Frank Sinatra, at twice their age (50) plays a P-38 pilot, an American bird colonel no less, whose plane is shot down in Southern Italy. Taken to an Italian prisoner of war camp, he takes command of the POWs from Trevor Howard, who is at his scenery-chewing best. Knock off the Wehrmacht guards? No problem. Steal a train? Consider it done. No point in puzzling through the nonsense of this film, just break out the popcorn and sit back to watch the Italian scenery and some of the by play. See more Steven A 01/14/2023 Robson keeps the suspense tight as the chase ensues and the action scenes are well-staged with great stunt work. It is all photographed against a backdrop of the Italian countryside and the Alps, whilst Goldsmith's percussive score helps accentuate the tension. Sinatra and Howard, the British officer he teams up with, spar off each other effectively to produce an appealing adventure. See more Read all reviews
Von Ryan's Express

My Rating

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Movie Info

Synopsis World War II story about Allied prisoners who stage a mass breakout from an Italian POW camp, commandeer a train and head towards the Swiss border. As the Italian war effort collapses, the escapees are aided by their captors, but when the Germans catch on, they set out to halt the escape with an armored train and aerial attack.
Director
Mark Robson
Producer
Saul David, Mark Robson
Screenwriter
Wendell Mayes, Joseph Landon, David Westheimer, Saul David
Distributor
20th Century Fox
Production Co
P-R Productions Picture
Genre
War
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 23, 1965, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 25, 2015
Runtime
1h 57m
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