Von Ryan's Express
Director: Mark Robson
Year Released: 1965
Rating: 2.0
Downed American pilot Ryan (Frank Sinatra) is rescued by the Italians, placed in a P.O.W. camp (with grizzled and snarly Trevor Howard) and then stages an escape from the enemy by taking over a Nazi train. Standard (fictional) WWII yarn only picks up momentum (literally and figuratively speaking) once the Good Guys hijack the train; subtextually, it's a macho waste land, with the usual male posturing and fearless grunting. There is one promiscuous (Italian) female in this, and she gets shot in the back: no women allowed.
