Von Ryan's Express

Did Dad have the book of this? 
 I saw the ending of this years ago.. I had tried to watch it and someone else had changed the channel So I knew how the film ends- Indeed I once had an extended dream of Frank Skinner playing Ryan, and suffering the same fate. Spoiler it's a gut punch 
I have more and more time for Frank Sinatra as an actor. Desmond Mulhane- is great as the parson 
Oh quite a lot of this film is in German or Italian. We are treated to the beauties of the Italian peninsula. The final scenes in the Alps are a verdant wonder- I have since learned it is actually Spain Like with Sink the Bismarck, you get a sense of just how destructive World War Two was- a footbridge blown up over the Alps. A visual display wall which would allow you to follow rail traffic into Milan-destroyed. 
 It is messy world we enter.... A gestapo officer trying to trade nylons and cigarettes to obtain a watch. 
A girl who lost her virginity before she was confirmed.... The young lad seeing a beautiful woman murdered by what he assumes is a German officer- ...The killing of the wounded... Tit for tat beatings, theft of supplies
 Trevor Howard is playing a ruthless British Major - A long way from Brief encounter I am glad I made time for this. This film is something which I think would be worth remaking I am surprised Clooney never took a crack at such

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