12 Jan Escape to Athena
(1979) This British film really did have potential … star-studded cast, beautiful set on the Greek island of Rhodes, ancient artifacts … but everything got lost in the shenanigans.
Escape to Athena, WWII Movie starring Roger Moore
First of all, Roger Moore as a Nazi POW camp commandant? It just didn’t fit. Thankfully at the end he had a religious conversion and helped the Allies in 007 style.
Elliott Gould stole the show. He and Stefanie Powers were captured USO performers. I was amazed when during the height of the action he suddenly knew not only how to shoot with precision but also to repel down a mountain.
When the nasty Nazi sped away on a motorcycle, Gould jumped into a three wheeler and chased him, video game style, through the narrow medieval Greek streets. Best action of all.
The other highlight moment was when Gould walked by none other than William Holden crouched next to the POW barracks and asked, “Are you still here?” Of course he was referring to Holden’s role in “Stalag 17,” some twenty-six years earlier. Holden and Powers were together at the time this movie was made. Holden died two years later.
The Greek resistance, led by Telly Savalas, plotted t0 take back their town and empty the POW camp. The action at the end, as they moved in to expel the Nazis, was a little confusing. I wasn’t sure what was happening where.
Telly’s little group headed for the monastery at the top of the mountain when suddenly a huge black ballistic missile rolled out, no doubt pointed toward our Allies somewhere. It was accompanied by marching Nazis whose helmets obviously inspired the one worn by Darth Vader.
So all in all a fun farce that just missed the mark.
Escape to Athena [VHS] at amazon.com
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