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Von Ryan's Express (1965)

Rate: 7
Viewed: 1/08, 2/24

VonR
1/08: Von Ryan's Express is a major disappointment.

Think of the movie as The Great Escape meets The Train but with less energy. The biggest letdown is the ending. There are other faults as well. It's probable Frank Sinatra took a lot away from the much-needed creativity that the screenplay started with. However, I'm impressed, but not a whole lot, with the tautness which is enough to make it a suspenseful picture for a while.

As for the faults, first of all, there needs to be an hour more for proper character development. Frank Sinatra doesn't have enough mystique to be interesting as Colonel Joseph Ryan. Had Steve McQueen been substituted, Von Ryan's Express might have been a more explosive picture. Second, the editing is uneven. It sometimes moves fast, and I'm unable to keep up with the dialogue, forcing me to rewind a little. There have been continuity problems, too.

Third, the story is simple, especially how the events unfolded. I question the moment when the men found railroad tools in a small shed. Is it possible during WWII that they would be left there like that? Fourth, when a movie aims to be exciting, they should make sure it ends with a bang. But in this one, I was like, "That's it?"

On the positive side, Von Ryan's Express is almost a thinking man's movie, especially during the little escape attempts and dangerous conflicts. The cinematography is picturesque, and the action is pleasantly well-done. Another aspect I like is the inclusion of different languages. So often, foreign characters will speak only English. But not this time as Germans speak their language, Italians speak their language, and, of course, English is thrown in for convenience's sake.

All in all, Von Ryan's Express is a puppy as compared to The Great Escape.

2/24: Raising my rating from '5' to '7', Von Ryan's Express isn't bad this time around.

It has a beginning, a middle, and an end. The story is fully developed. Not much is faked with the exception of people being killed through gunfire. Many scenes were shot on location in Italy. What I appreciate the most is the characters of different nationalities speaking their own language which is unusual for a major Hollywood picture.

Frank Sinatra is fine; he carries the movie well but can be arrogant at times, making sure nobody but him is the boss. Trevor Howard is okay but is relegated to the sidelines due to Sinatra's powerful insistence. As the Italian translator, Sergio Fantoni is helpful, and Edward Mulhare steals the show for a while, playing a convincing priest-turned-Nazi-officer.

I can't complain too much about the action, but it's not exciting enough like, say, The Train. Forget what I said in the last review about the railroad tools alongside the track; it seems plausible enough. The ending looks overwhelming because of numerous German soldiers, so it's reasonable that Frank Sinatra's character paid the ultimate price.

All in all, Von Ryan's Express is a good WWII escapist thriller.