One of the golden actors of the British stage and Cinema and one of the golden actors of the future of the American film, sadly brought together in a film that had potential but doesn't really work. Sir Alec Guennis of course is marvelous, wiping up the cell where he keeps Robert Redford and Mike Connors, playing a common German air raid warden during World War II, a man that the film's narration describes as basically invisible. He's so lonely in fact that when he captures two Americans parachuting into Germany that he holds them hostage in the basement of his home and doesn't turn them over to the military police. He claims his motivation is to prevent them from causing Germany to lose the war, but secretly, he's enjoying their company while they try to manipulate him in getting out by entertaining him and giving him companionship while secretly trying to plot their way out via escape.
While the characters played by Redford and Connor's are certainly charming, they are basically playing themselves while the versatile Guennis easily walked away with the film by disappearing into his character, reminding me of Boris Karloff. He has a very touching but funny drunk scene, revealing much about his mama's boy character. Redford and Connors provide a few giggles acting like monkeys to get the drunken Guinness in stitches so they can plan a sudden escape, but it's a moment that is inevitably stolen by Guennis. This probably had more impact when it first came out, and while it does have some sweet moments, it was a bit of a disappointment to me overall. The minimal setting makes this feel rather claustrophobic, and while I can't call this the classic that I had hoped it would be, I can't call it a mom either. It's just a mixed bag where only a few of the objects inside are worth keeping.
While the characters played by Redford and Connor's are certainly charming, they are basically playing themselves while the versatile Guennis easily walked away with the film by disappearing into his character, reminding me of Boris Karloff. He has a very touching but funny drunk scene, revealing much about his mama's boy character. Redford and Connors provide a few giggles acting like monkeys to get the drunken Guinness in stitches so they can plan a sudden escape, but it's a moment that is inevitably stolen by Guennis. This probably had more impact when it first came out, and while it does have some sweet moments, it was a bit of a disappointment to me overall. The minimal setting makes this feel rather claustrophobic, and while I can't call this the classic that I had hoped it would be, I can't call it a mom either. It's just a mixed bag where only a few of the objects inside are worth keeping.