Good, entertaining story

Until reading the reviews here, I thought this movie was British. Why the assumption?, because it's not the usual American jingoism. As such, I found it very entertaining, interesting, and yes, mostly believable. It was also surprising in that it was a good movie, outside of Rocky, with Stallone in it. I doubt this movie deserves to be described as a classic, yet it is certainly up there for its entertainment value.

Exciting movie for all

Great family movie for soccer players and fans, and for everyone who like to see the underdog have success. Music is wonderful. Setting is in prisoner of war camp during WWII - subtle messages of values and honor throughout.

"I think we can win this!"

This is the greatest sports movie of all time. Sorry to those of us who loved "Hoosiers." This movie is stirring in so many ways. I saw this movie in the theater back in 1981 as a 10 year old who loved American Soccer, and to this day, it still gives me goosebumps. The soccer part of the movie is so insignificant to me now, though.

Don't let Sly Stallone's presence in this movie deter you. The movie is directed by the legendary John Huston who made such classic films as "The Maltese Falcon," "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre," "The Asphalt Jungle" and "The African Queen," and it's main character is played by world-reknowned actor Michael Caine. Stallone plays the lone American character in the film, and is a dreadful soccer player. He only makes "the team" because he has connections to the French Underground who are trying to help him escape the WWII POW camp he and the other characters are held captive in. He also has a knack for catching the ball...

The movie takes place during WWII, and, as other reviewers have stated, the story centers around a game which one of the German Officers decides to sponsor: The German National team vs. "The Allies" (a team made up of mostly English and European-born prisoners). The plot thickens when they decide to hold the game in German-occupied Paris in order to break the spirits of the Allies. The players on the prisoner team don't want Stallone's character to play, but he is their ticket out of prison, so they reluctantly decide to allow him onto the team.

The greatest part of this movie involves the final 30 minutes of the film. The game reaches halftime with the Germans up 4-1. It is obvious to the prisoners at this point that the referees have been paid off to let the Germans win the game, but they managed a fantastic goal just before halftime giving them a bit of momentum. The plan is to escape at halftime, as the French Resistance has dug out a tunnel underneath the prisoners' locker room. In a moving sequence of events, the prisoners enter the tunnel, only to have Pele and a few other characters talk the entire team out of escaping.

"We can win this!" yells one of the players. "What did he say?" calls out Caine's character. "I said, I think we can win this!" Then Pele tells Stallone's character that England has never beaten Germany in soccer...ever. The players would rather spend the rest of their lives in a POW camp and play out the second half rather than leave now and not finish the game. Michael Caine informs Stallone that they can't play the game without him, so if he escapes, the whole team has to go with him. Quickly, the scene cuts to the field, as many fans in the stadium know that the prisoners were to escape. Unexpectedly, the prisoners return to the field to play the second half.

The ending is incredible. The prisoners come out ferociously intent on winning the game. Representing England, the French Resistance, and the entire Allied world, the players score 3 straight goals to tie the game, including a signature Pele bicycle kick, and the fans in the stands do the unthinkable--they risk their lives and begin singing the French National anthem, which is illegal (considered treasonous at the time). Trying to aid the Germans, the referee calls a foul as time expires to give them one last chance, through a penalty kick, to win the game. In a scene that seems to take as long as the step sequence in "The Untouchables," The German takes the free kick, Stallone stops it, the game ends in a tie, and the crazed French fans bust down the fences and storm the field. The prisoners are quickly given trench coats, and they escape as the masses break down the gates to the stadium and storm out into the streets of Paris. The allstar cast included the aforementioned guys plus reknowned soccer stars Mike Summerbee, Co Prins, Osvaldo Ardiles and Bobby Moore.

The historical significance of this film is remarkable. Viewing the film, you truly feel the solidarity of the Allies, both on the soccer field and also during the war. Ironically enough, in real life the English actually won the World Cup in 1950, shortly after WWII, it's only World Cup championship to date, defeating powerhouse Germany along the way. This is a great movie for anyone who is a war buff, soccer fan, or just loved to watch Hogan's Heroes!