Based on a series of games in Kiev during the German occupation of Russia in World War II, ESCAPE TO VICTORY (aka VICTORY in the USA) combines an uplifting football movie (see the recent ‘GOAL’ trilogy as a more contemporary example) with a classic prison movie like THE GREAT ESCAPE and THE WOODEN HORSE.
Directed by legend John Huston, Michael Caine leads the line as John Colby who is talked into a propaganda game between POWs and the German National Team. Sylvester Stallone is the arrogant Robert Hatch, looking for a way to escape who bluffs his way into the team but finds he is only good enough to play in goal.
A fine cast of top footballers from the time, including Kazimericz Deyna of Poland (part of the team that eliminated England from the World Cup in 1974 after that 1-1 draw at Wembley in 1973) and legend Pele (who steals the show on the pitch with one moment of magic in the climactic game) add to the appeal, with a great music score by Oscar-winner Bill Conti (THE RIGHT STUFF, the ROCKY films), ESCAPE TO VICTORY has grown in stature as a cult sports film, but is still below the level of SLAP SHOT.