morrison-dylan-fan Planning to catch up on TV shows last week,all my viewings got stopped, when I caught some Australian flu. Getting over the illness,I looked for an easy-going flick to view. Missing it during a showing a few months ago,I was pleased to see this title appear on the BBC iPlayer,which led to me escaping to Athena.The plot-Nazi Occupied Greece 1944:On a small Greek island, Major Otto Hecht uses POWs to dig up artifacts on the island that he can send to his sister. Aware that their lives depend on artifacts constantly being found,the POWs slyly take objects back to the site for "re-discovery." Learning of a nearby U-Boat refueling depot,the POWs plan to finally escape from Athena.View on the film:Losing 30 minutes of footage in the hopes of it playing better in the US, the screenplay by co-writer/(with Edward Anhalt and Richard S. Lochte) director George P. Cosmatos retains a Boys Own Adventure atmosphere,with the isolated state of the island building tension between the POWs and the Nazis,that explodes in the second,action-filled part of the movie. Breaking out the Men on a Mission genre, the writers keep all the characters at a rough sketch level,but give the movie enough quirky asides to keep the bullets flying,from the unique use of artifacts at the centre of the island,to a Nazi joining the goodies!Whilst not a match for their extraordinary TV productions, ITC make sure that the glossy, almost- futuristic sheen that glows in The Avengers & The Prisoner is prominent, with the gliding crane shots from cinematographer Gilbert Taylor (who had worked on some Avengers eps) giving the film's setting an isolated in time aura. Later taking one man war machine Rambo to war in First Blood part 2, director George P. Cosmatos's takes these Men on a Mission to war with rapid fire set-pieces,from a thrilling,ultra stylised motorbike chase,to the blast of smoke and fire in the shoot-outs being against an ancient Greece backdrop. Casually dropping the German accent mid-scenes,Roger Moore gives a wonderfully boo-hiss,not at all threatening performance as Major Otto Hecht,whilst fitties Claudia Cardinale (who has an eye-catching dance number) and Stefanie Powers give the macho-action a touch of glamour. Joined by a tough talking Richard Roundtree as Nat Judson, David Niven perfectly matches Moore by layering on the charm as POW Professor Blake,who breaks out with the artifacts.

Jackson Booth-Millard I am always keen to try war films with a good amount of actors in the cast, and even though this had a low rating, I was still willing to try it, from George P. Cosmatos (Rambo: First Blood Part II, Tombstone). Basically it is World War II, and the Germans have managed to sweep through Greece where camp Stalag VII-Z is located where various civilian prisoners have been thrown. The camp is under control of unpleasant brutality enjoying SS Major Volkmann (Anthony Valentine), and the more charming and former dodgy Viennese art merchant Major Otto Hecht (Sir Roger Moore). Amongst the prisoners who have been spared their lives are archaeology Professor Blake (David Niven), American show performer and presenter Charlie Del Mar (Elliott Gould) and his wife Dottie (Stefanie Powers), black POW Nat Judson (Richard Roundtree), and Italian cook Bruno Rotelli (Sonny Bono). Local Greek resistance leader Zeno (Telly Savalas) and these prisoners have plans not to escape the camp, but to take it over to avoid more villagers being executed. However, they all have the same goal when they hear of priceless treasures on the nearby Mount Athena inside the monastery, and Hecht is persuaded to help with a cut. Of course with an invasion on the way Zeno and the gang have to hurry before the secret German rocket installation beneath the monastery mountain can be activated. Also starring Claudia Cardinale as Eleana and William Holden as Prisoner smoking a cigar in prison camp. Moore might be a good charming lead, but his German accent is terrible, and co-stars Niven, Savalas, Gould and Roundtree all get their moments too. The war element is possibly the least focused part of the story which I found really boring in parts, so much so I even dozed off, not even the explosions and action could do much to grab my attention, so a disappointing war adventure. Adequate!

deanlamb This is one of the worst '70s "war" movies i have ever seen in my life and possibly the worst ensemble of bad performances in one movie. Elliot Gould narrowly snatches the title of worst actor from Roger Moore but to be honest every actor in this movie is in with a good shout! George P. Cosmatos is an horrendous hack of director who later went on to follow up the rather quite good "First Blood" with one of the worst sequels in movie history "Rambo: First Blood Part II". The screenplay is bloated and uneventful with so much padding just to fill a 2 hour running time which was almost essential for these type of films in the day. If your undecided as to whether to watch this movie for the first time let me decide for you? DON'T WATCH IT!!!!!!!!

PathetiCinema This film is a fantastic brochure for Greece and it's surrounding Isles. There are some beautiful shots of mountains and hills and then Roger Moore steps in and blocks the view. We get to see a gorgeous, ancient monastery but then Telly Savalas blocks the view by firing a machine gun and lumbering around. Damn. The ocean view was very pretty until Elliot Gould got in the way, slipping on a banana skin. "Move out of the way, Elliot! You're blocking the scenery!" The trees were particularly lovely until David Niven blocked the view. These actors keep getting in the way of the visual tour of the islands that we are treated to. I wonder if the Greek Tourism Commission got a rich cut of this films earnings? What? What do you mean it flopped?