From Hell to Victory (1979)

Fantastic!

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

The late '70s saw a change in fortune for cult director Umberto Lenzi. Suddenly, he was the man chosen to make some epic war movies with a decent budget. At last a chance to leave his native Italy and travel through Europe, shooting abroad for many scenes. And at last a chance to work with an internationally famous cast of all-stars. Sadly, Lenzi's worldwide fame was never to be, and instead he found himself back in Italy a few years later churning out schlock cannibal classics such as CANNIBAL FEROX for which he has become somewhat infamous in cult film circles. Although his late '70s war films are flawed and sometimes feel bloated and overlong, they're certainly a lot better than the subsequent mid '80s war features he made and technically superior to those he did in the late '60s. FROM HELL TO VICTORY is also probably the only Umberto Lenzi film to have been granted a terrestrial television broadcast here in the UK, albeit in the middle of the night on Channel 5! The film itself is a straightforward war adventure, chronicling and cutting between the adventures of a small group of friends who find themselves facing death during the Second World War. The action is generally good but not great, although the final battle is quite spectacular, with the budget only being evident in the aerial combat scenes which substitute silly miniature planes in place of real ones, mixed together with stock footage in a bid to fool the casual viewer. Sad to say the scheme didn't work, although the result is somewhat amusing. Generally the pacing is solid enough and - whilst hardly a classic action film like the cop thrillers Lenzi made with actor Maurizio Merli - the film delivers the goods with some style and excitement.The casting mixes together a number of old and new faces, with some Euro-regulars thrown into the mix for good measure. Veteran support comes from George Peppard as the grizzled war general, whilst the role of his fresh-faced son goes to the ever-present Ray Lovelock. George Hamilton is somewhat camp as a caricatured, beret-wearing Frenchman, although heavyweight acting comes from Sam Wanamaker as an ally. Meanwhile, Anny Duperey and Capucine liven up the glamour front, Franco regular Howard Vernon fits the role of an evil Nazi like a glove, and Horst Buchholz struggles with his conscience and his duty as a German fighter. Not a classic film, but a pretty entertaining one for war lovers.

Mediocre Italian/French/Spanish warlike with big name actors and regularly staged battles , dealing with a group of different nationalities vow to meet each year , at the same date , but WWII interrupts their lives . This spectacular movie starts on August 24, 1939, at a small French Cafe , six friends (George Peppard as Brett Rosson , George Hamilton as Maurice Bernard , Horst Buchholz as Jürgen Dietrich , Anny Duperey as Fabienne , Jean-Pierre Cassel as Dick and Sam Wanamaker as Ray) of various nationalities are about to go their separate ways , they vow to reunite on that day each year at the cafe , though it is not always possible . And when the war breaks out , the events go awry . They all go join the war for their countries and one of them is German (Horst Buchholz) and Fabienne (Anny Duperey) begins working with the French resistance , joining forces with Partisans (Lambert Wilson) , one becomes a flier (Jean Pierre Cassel) and two others are just simple officers-in-command . An upright officer named Rosson incarnated by George Peppard is assigned to OSS and his son (Ray Lovelock) takes the ranks as a soldier in special operations along with Maurice Bernard (George Hamilton) . After the action is placed on several locations . As in France Maurice/George Hamilton and Jim Rosson/Ray Lovelock whose mission to destroy a German bridge before it's used against the Allied forces . Follow the feats about Partisans and a squadron attacking German positions . Meantime Rosson/Peppard must neutralize a German installation where Nazis hide combustible for V2 rockets . This is a regularly conceived WWII with action filled, , character drama and exciting battles , but nothing special . Packs inaccurate details and an extremely talented though wasted casting make this one of all-star-cast European epic productions though failed . The film contains news-reel documentary , stock-shots vignettes and miniatures , however lost continuity with several cuts and zooms. Spectacular battles and fights , including miniaturized tanks and planes , whose footage is taken from ¨Battle of commands¨ also by Umberto Lenzi , and The Dirty Heroes by Alberto De Martino and Eagles over London by Enzo G Castell. The battle scenes shot in Hoyo De Manzanares , Spain , where in the 60s and 70s , along with Almeria location , were filmed a lot of Western . This average movie contains a prestigious cast as George Peppard , Sam Wanamaker , Jean Pierre Cassel , George Hamilton , Capucine , though really wasted . Furthermome , numerous Italian/Spanish/French secondaries in brief interventions such as as May Heatherly ,Howard Vernon , Ritza Brown , Franco Fantasia and Antonio Mayans . Appropriate cinematography by Jose Luis Alcaine , though being necessary a right remastering , this magnificent cameraman has been making a prestigious career as Pedro Almodovar's usual photographer such as The skin I live in , Volver , Bad education and Women on the verge of a Nervous breakdown . Emotive as well as functional musical score by Riz Ortalani .The tale produced by Jose Frade is middling directed by Umbert Lenzi, he used the pseudonym Hank Milestone and Humphrey Logan. He's an expert on wartime genre such as he proved in ¨ Desert commandos , Battle of commandos and Bridge to hell .

The idea behind this film of 6 friends caught up in WWII promises so much but fails to deliver dismally. The idea of 6 friends, of differing nationalities, being forced to chose sides, their countries or their friends, alludes to the futility of war and that only nations make war, not individual people. The acting in this film, despite the presence of some very good actors, is strained and wooden. The combat sequences are awful with British aircraft having German markings and American aircraft having British markings. Those looking for historical actuary re. Equipment and uniforms should look elsewhere. This film just doesn't live up to the idea under lying it. Having said that the idea behind this film is excellent and if executed properly, and with a descent budget and cast, could rank along side the greatest war films of all time.

Apart from the German and Allied uniforms in this film, there's not much else to it. I mean, come on, they painted German markings on British spitfires and funnily enough the Brits looked like they were flying Curtis fighters (US-made). And the whole sequencing of the air battles looked so fake, as if from a 1930s film. And some of the air shots looked like they were done in a studio with arm-sized aircraft models!! Did anyone remember the tank battle as well at the end. The 'German' Panzers were actually American Patton tanks, built around the late 40s. It just looked so amateurish and cheap when you compare it to a film like a Bridge too Far, made ten years earlier (and which I concede had a much bigger budget). I mean, why bother with air and tank battles when you can't even make them look half realistic? The other thing i noticed was that all the explosions that were supposed to be stopping the 'Panzers' actually exploded beside or in front of the tanks, and yet the tank would come to a grinding halt!! Ridiculous.But I'll admit the military action not involving tanks and aircraft looked decent enough (such as when Peppard infiltrates enemy installations to plant explosives, etc.) But overall the acting was wooden, mainly from the main actors. The only good performance was from George Hamilton who played 'Maurice', a French commando. Peppard himself was ok, but he did have a better acting scope than this which was not utilised.Overall, 3/10.