
Victory
By Alistair Lawrence,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
WWII sporting drama has some language, violence.

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Victory
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What's the Story?
VICTORY pits World War II British army captain John Colby (Michael Caine) and his fellow prisoners in a soccer match against their German captors as part of a daring escape.
Is It Any Good?
Unashamedly giving WWII the Hollywood treatment, this sports drama unites two on-screen legends in Caine and Sylvester Stallone. Released in 1981, Victory (also titled Escape to Victory) also finds room for world-famous soccer stars Pele, Bobby Moore, and a few other famous faces that dedicated sports fans will recognize. A very loose remake of a grittier Hungarian drama, Two Half Times in Hell, it is inspired by a real-life team of Ukrainian soccer players who were forced to compete against German teams during the war.
The plot is a mix of sporting drama and wartime prison break, which just about manages to stay in formation. Partly because director John Huston takes his assured delivery of drama and set pieces and transfers both to the field of play. The result is a feel-good yarn with no room even for historical accuracy or even the laws of the beautiful game, in some places. But in terms of pure nostalgia and its sense of fun, Victory has aged surprisingly well as a boys' own adventure played out by the alpha males of its day.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Victory teaches the importance of teamwork, courage, and perseverance. Why are these such important character strengths? What examples from the film can you give?
Discuss the violence in the film. What impact did that have? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?
Talk about some of the language used. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?
Movie Details
- In theaters: July 16, 1981
- On DVD or streaming: February 24, 1998
- Cast: Michael Caine , Sylvester Stallone , Max von Sydow
- Director: John Huston
- Studio: Paramount Pictures
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Sports and Martial Arts , History
- Character Strengths: Courage , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Run time: 116 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- Last updated: December 8, 2022
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