Editing Von Ryan's Express

{{Short description|1965 film by Mark Robson}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Von Ryan's Express
| image          = VonRyansExpress.jpg
| caption        = Theatrical release poster by [[Tom Chantrell]]
| director       = [[Mark Robson (film director)|Mark Robson]]
| producer       = [[Saul David (producer)|Saul David]]
| screenplay     = [[Wendell Mayes]]<br />Joseph Landon
| based_on       = {{based on|''Von Ryan's Express''<br>1964 novel|[[David Westheimer]]}}
| starring       = [[Frank Sinatra]]<br />[[Trevor Howard]]<br>[[Raffaella Carrà]]<br>[[Brad Dexter]]<br>[[Sergio Fantoni]]<br>[[John Leyton]]<br>[[Edward Mulhare]]<br>[[Wolfgang Preiss]]
| music          = [[Jerry Goldsmith]]
| cinematography = [[William Daniels (cinematographer)|William H. Daniels]]
| editing        = [[Dorothy Spencer]]
| distributor    = [[20th Century Fox]]
| released       = {{Film date|1965|06|23}}
| runtime        = 117 minutes
| language       = English/Italian
| country        = United States
| budget         = $5.76 million<ref>{{cite book| last=Solomon| first=Aubrey| title=Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History (The Scarecrow Filmmakers Series)| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WIZwZOz8LHsC&q=Twentieth+Century+Fox:+A+Corporate+and+Financial+History| location=Lanham, Maryland| publisher=Scarecrow Press| year=1989| isbn=978-0-8108-4244-1| page=254| url-access=subscription}}</ref>
| gross          = $17.1 million<ref name="numbers">{{cite web| url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movies/1965/0VREX.php| website=[[The Numbers (website)|The Numbers]]| title=Von Ryan's Express, Box Office Information| access-date=January 22, 2013}}</ref>
}}

'''''Von Ryan's Express''''' is a 1965 [[World War II]] [[adventure film]] starring [[Frank Sinatra]], [[Trevor Howard]], and [[Raffaella Carrà]], and directed by [[Mark Robson (film director)|Mark Robson]]. Produced in [[CinemaScope]], the film depicts a group of [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] prisoners of war ([[POW]]s) who conduct a daring escape by hijacking the freight train carrying the POWs and fleeing through [[Italian Social Republic|German-occupied Italy]] to [[Switzerland]]. Based on the 1964 novel by [[David Westheimer]], the film changes several aspects of the novel, most notably the ending, which is considerably more upbeat in the book. Financially, it became one of Sinatra's most successful films.

==Plot==
In 1943 American Colonel Joseph Ryan, a [[United States Army Air Forces|USAAF]] [[P-38]] pilot, is shot down over Italy and taken to a POW camp run by the [[National Fascist Party|Fascist]] camp commander, Major Basilio Battaglia, and his sympathetic second-in-command, Captain Vittorio Oriani. Most prisoners are from the British 9th [[Fusilier#United Kingdom|Fusiliers]] whose commanding officer recently died after being placed in a "[[Box (torture)|sweat box]]" as punishment for hitting Battaglia. Ryan assumes command of the camp as the most senior officer much to the dismay of Major Eric Fincham, the most-senior British officer.

Ryan starts to infuriate Fincham. First he declines to support Fincham's escape attempts because Italy is close to [[Fall of the Fascist regime in Italy|surrender]]. Second he orders Fincham to distribute [[Red Cross]] medical supplies to the seriously ill prisoners after some American prisoners are caught stealing medicine from a secret British hoard. Third he angers Fincham by revealing an escape plan to Battaglia in exchange for better treatment of the prisoners. But when Battaglia refuses to issue new clothing, Ryan orders prisoners to strip and burn their filthy uniforms. Battaglia throws Ryan into the sweat box as punishment.

After [[Armistice of Cassibile|Italy surrenders]], the camp guards flee and Ryan is freed; the British promptly convict Battaglia as a [[war criminal]]. Ryan sentences him to the sweat box rather than being executed.

A German fighter plane overflies the camp, forcing Ryan and the POWs to flee into the Italian countryside. Captain Oriani agrees to make contact with Allied forces on their behalf. However, the next morning, the Germans recapture the prisoners and force them into train [[covered goods wagon|boxcars]]. Fincham assumes Oriani betrayed them until he is found severely beaten onboard. The freed Battaglia comes to gloat at their misfortune. Before leaving, the Germans shoot all the sick prisoners. Fincham blames Ryan for letting Battaglia live, and derogatively calls him "''[[von]]'' Ryan". In Rome Major von Klemment, takes command of the prisoner transport.

As the train heads northward through Italy, Ryan pries up the railcar floorboards. That night Ryan, Fincham, and Lt. Orde climb out of their car and free some POWs, who then kill the remaining guards on the train taking their uniforms as a disguise. Ryan and Fincham find von Klemment and his Italian mistress, Gabriella, in the command car. 

Lights start to follow the captured train. Von Klemment reveals it is a German troop train on the same schedule. Von Klemment also states he must stop in [[Firenze Santa Maria Novella railway station|Florence]] to receive new orders. To get through the station, German-speaking British chaplain, Captain Costanzo, bravely impersonates the German commander with Fincham and Ryan dressed as German soldiers. However, the prisoners are nearly recaptured when a [[Gestapo|Gestapo officer]] boards the train to buy Ryan's American watch. Ryan coolly barters with the German agent before he leaves with the watch. 

The orders in Florence show that both trains are headed to [[Innsbruck]], Austria. Using a forged typewritten order, the prisoners switch their train onto a different line at [[Bologna]] while the troop train continues on toward Innsbruck. Ryan, still dressed as a German soldier, is forced to shoot Von Klemment and Gabriella after they escape from the train. Her death disgusts the Italian civilians who see Ryan as a Nazi. 

The German High Command begin inquiries after discovering that the train has been diverted. That night the train and POWs become victims of an Allied bombing raid over Northern Italy. With three dead and some sixty wounded, Oriani and the train's Italian engineer tell Ryan and Fincham that their only option is to reroute the train at [[Milan]] to [[Switzerland during the world wars|neutral Switzerland]]. However, the Germans now realise the train has been captured by the POWs so [[Waffen-SS|SS troops]] have set up an ambush ahead. But the prisoners capture a signal box and reroute the train in time. 

In the [[Italian Alps]] just before the Swiss border, rockets from a [[Nord Pingouin|German aircraft]] cause boulders to fall onto the track halting the train. Undamaged rails from behind the train have to be used to fix the crushed sections. Meanwhile SS troops in another train eventually catch up. Ryan, Fincham, and some POWs stay behind to hold them off. A vicious battle begins. Eventually the track in front of the prisoner train is repaired and it begins to move. Fincham and the surviving POWs get back onboard but Ryan is killed just as the train steams to the safety of Switzerland.

==Cast==
{{div col}}
* [[Frank Sinatra]] as Col. Joseph L. Ryan
* [[Trevor Howard]] as Maj. Eric Fincham
* [[Raffaella Carrà]] as Gabriella
* [[Brad Dexter]] as Sgt. Bostick
* [[Sergio Fantoni]] as Capt. Oriani
* [[John Leyton]] as Lt. Orde
* [[Edward Mulhare]] as Capt. Costanzo, the chaplain
* [[Wolfgang Preiss]] as Maj. von Klemment
* [[James Brolin]] as Private Ames
* [[John van Dreelen]] as Col. Gortz
* [[Adolfo Celi]] as Maj. Bassilio Battaglia
* [[Vito Scotti]] as Peppino the Italian engineer
* [[Richard Bakalyan]] as Cpl. Giannini
* [[Michael Goodliffe]] as Capt. Stein
* [[Michael St. Clair]] as Sgt. Dunbar
* [[Ivan Triesault]] as Obergruppenfuhrer Wilhelm von Kleist
{{div col end}}

==Production==

===Original novel===
The novel was published in 1963. The novelist David Westheimer had been a [[Prisoner of war|POW]] during World War II. He witnessed the bombing of [[Bolzano]] in 1943 from a box car.<ref>{{cite news| title=Books and Authors: Military Held a Culprit Projected Challenges Derring-Do Movie Book Reissued| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1963/12/20/archives/books-and-authors-military-held-a-culprit-projected-challenges.html| date=December 20, 1963| newspaper=The New York Times| page=27| url-access=subscription}}</ref> Martin Levin, reviewing the book for ''[[The New York Times]]'', said the novel "has everything for the screen but the camera directions."<ref>{{cite news| title=A Reader's Report| first=Martin| last=Levin| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/01/12/archives/a-readers-report.html| date=January 12, 1964| newspaper=The New York Times| page=BR24| url-access=subscription}}</ref>

===Development===
The novel was a best seller and 20th Century Fox bought the film rights for a reported $125,000.<ref>{{cite news| title='Von Ryan's Express' Will Star Sinatra: Robson to Produce War Story; Taylor as 'Young Cassidy'| url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-von-ryans-express/132427997/| author=Hopper, Hedda| date=April 16, 1964| newspaper=Los Angeles Times| page=C8| url-access=subscription}}</ref> The studio assigned Saul David to produce and [[Mark Robson (film director)|Mark Robson]] to direct. Robson had intended to make ''The Centurians'', but this was delayed when his chosen star, [[Anthony Quinn]], was unavailable.<ref>{{cite news| title=Robson Will Drive Von Ryan's Express: 'Dice of God' to Get Shake; Image of Latins Challenged| url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-von-ryans-express/132428213/| author=Scheuer, Philip K.| newspaper=Los Angeles Times| date=March 12, 1964| page=C11| url-access=subscription}}</ref> Frank Sinatra had read the novel and wanted to buy the film rights himself; when he heard they had been lost to Fox, he offered his services for the lead role.<ref>{{cite news| title=Sinatra Swings Upward| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1965/04/18/archives/sinatra-swings-upward.html| first=Peter| last=Bart| author-link=Peter Bart| date=April 18, 1965| newspaper=The New York Times| page=X9| url-access=subscription}}</ref>

''Von Ryan's Express'' was a project keenly undertaken by [[20th Century Fox]], which was still financially reeling after the extravagance and critical bashing of ''[[Cleopatra (1963 film)|Cleopatra]]''. Fox, in a bid to prove that they were still able to make films on an epic scale, shot extensively on location in Europe and built a full-scale prison camp as opposed to shooting on a [[backlot]]. It was producer [[Saul David (producer)|Saul David]]'s first film for Fox. He followed it with ''[[Our Man Flint]]'', ''[[Fantastic Voyage]]'', and ''[[In Like Flint]]''.

===Filming===
Rumours of a [[personality clash]] between star [[Frank Sinatra]], who was flown by helicopter to the set, and director [[Mark Robson (film director)|Mark Robson]] were not enough to cause problems as the film was shot with relatively little trouble. However, Sinatra did insist that the ending of the film be altered, ending any chance of a sequel. Sinatra also insisted the film be shot in [[Panavision]] rather than Fox's [[CinemaScope]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.widescreenmuseum.com/widescreen/wingcs8.htm |title=The CinemaScope Wing 8 |website=The American WideScreen Museum |access-date=2014-03-25}}</ref>

The film score was written by [[Jerry Goldsmith]].<ref>Clemmensen, Christian. [http://www.filmtracks.com/composers/goldsmith.shtml "Jerry Goldsmith (1929–2004) tribute"]. ''[[Filmtracks.com]]''. Retrieved 2011-04-14.</ref>

[[File:Pasarelas sobre la vía del tren.jpg|thumb|The railway bridge in 2015.]]
''Von Ryan's Express'' achieved [[Verisimilitude (narrative)|reality]] using aircraft, trains, and wheeled vehicles photographed on location along with the occasional model. The aircraft alluded to as ''Messerschmitts'' were indeed [[Messerschmitt Bf 108]]s. A majority of the film was shot on location around [[Northern Italy]] in [[Cortina d'Ampezzo]] and [[Firenze Santa Maria Novella railway station]] in [[Florence]] (in reality is [[Roma Ostiense railway station]]<ref>[http://www.reelstreets.com/films/von-ryans-express/ "Von Ryan's Express"]. ''Reelstreets''. Accessed September 25, 2023.</ref>). The [[Ferrovie dello Stato]]/Italian State Railway closely cooperated on the production, as reflected in the film's closing acknowledgment credit, providing a complete train headed by the specially-bulled up [[FS Class 735]].236. The train which the Nazis commandeer to pursue the escaping POWs is headed by a [[Franco-Crosti boiler]]-fitted Class 743.

The railway sequence at the film's conclusion, however, was shot in the [[Caminito del Rey]] walkway in the limestone gorge of [[El Chorro]] and in the adjacent railway bridge, near [[Málaga]] in [[Andalucía]], Spain.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=GnaTOvs0Ek0C&dq=von%20ryan's%20express%20spain&pg=PT596 "Travel Andalusia, Spain"].{{dead link|date=September 2023}}</ref><ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/cjcZGvytKaU Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20170208161241/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjcZGvytKaU Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjcZGvytKaU&t=3m26s| title=Historia del Caminito del Rey| website=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> This switch from filming in Italy was probably done as the bridge looked more suitably attractive for presenting the final set piece than anything that could be found on the Italian rail network. The train featuring in these sequences was laid on by the '''RENFE'''/Spanish National Railways and altered to resemble the Italy-based train. Interiors were completed at 20th Century Fox Studios in Los Angeles. The POW camp (Campo Concentramento Prigioneri di Guerra 202) was also built in the front lot of the Studios.<ref>{{cite book| last=Saul| first=David| title=The Industry: life in the Hollywood fast lane| publisher=Times Books| location=New York City| year=1981| url=https://archive.org/details/industrylifeinho0000davi/page/102/mode/2up?q=von+ryan%27s+express| isbn=978-0-8129-0971-5| pages=103, 158, 159| url-access=registration}}</ref>

==Reception==
===Critical===
Critics liked ''Von Ryan's Express''. ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' noted, "Mark Robson has made realistic use of the actual Italian setting of the David Westheimer novel in garmenting his action in hard-hitting direction and sharply drawn performances."<ref>{{cite news| url=https://variety.com/1964/film/reviews/von-ryan-s-express-1200420702/| title=Von Ryan's Express| magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]| date=December 31, 1964}}</ref> Frank Sinatra's daughter [[Nancy Sinatra|Nancy]] noted in her biography of her father that his performance fuelled speculation of another [[Academy Award]] nomination. ''[[Time Out (magazine)|Time Out]]'' London called the film a "ripping adventure" that was "directed with amused panache by Robson, and helped no end by a fine cast...",<ref>{{cite magazine| url=https://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/63096/von_ryans_express.html| title=Von Ryan's Express| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090626032735/http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/63096/von_ryans_express.html| archive-date=2009-06-26| magazine=Time Out}}</ref> while the [[BBC]]'s TV, film and radio listings magazine ''[[The Radio Times]]'' described it as "a rattlingly exciting Second World War escape adventure, with a well-cast Frank Sinatra..."<ref>[http://www.radiotimes.com/servlet_film/com.icl.beeb.rtfilms.client.simpleSearchServlet?frn=17222&searchTypeSelect=5 "Von Ryan's Express"]. ''[[The Radio Times]]''.{{dead link|date=September 2023}}</ref>

===Box office===
The film grossed $17,111,111<ref name="numbers"/> (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|17111111|1965|r=0}}}} in {{#expr:{{CURRENTYEAR}}-1}} consumer dollars) at the North American box office, equating to $7,700,000 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|7700000|1965|r=0}}}} in {{#expr:{{CURRENTYEAR}}-1}} consumer dollars) taken in box office rentals. ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' ranked ''Von Ryan's Express'' as the 10th-highest-grossing film of 1965. Additionally, this was Sinatra's highest-grossing and biggest-earning film of the decade.

According to Fox records, the film needed to earn $12,600,000 in rentals to break even and made over $17,000,000, meaning it made a profit.<ref>{{cite book| page=[https://archive.org/details/foxthatgotawayt00silv/page/324 324]| title=The Fox that got away: the last days of the Zanuck dynasty at Twentieth Century-Fox| url=https://archive.org/details/foxthatgotawayt00silv| url-access=registration| last=Silverman| first=Stephen M.| year=1988| publisher=L. Stuart| isbn=978-0-8184-0485-6}}</ref>

===Awards===
The film was nominated for a [[Academy Award for Best Sound Editing|Best Sound Editing]] ([[Walter Rossi]]) Academy Award in [[38th Academy Awards|1966]],<ref name="Oscars1966">{{cite web| url=http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1966| title=The 38th Academy Awards (1966) Nominees and Winners| website=AMPAS| access-date=September 25, 2023}}</ref> while the [[Motion Picture Sound Editors]] also nominated the film for Best Sound Editing in a Feature Film.

British [[Channel 4]] ranked ''Von Ryan's Express'' number 89 on their list of 100 Greatest War Films, commenting, "A ripping yarn culminating in a wild train dash through [Italy], with director Mark Robson cranking up the tension and releasing it with some excellent action set-pieces."<ref>[http://www.channel4.com/film/newsfeatures/microsites/W/greatest_warfilms/results/90-86.html "100 Greatest War Films of all time"]. Channel 4. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080212105434/http://www.channel4.com/film/newsfeatures/microsites/W/greatest_warfilms/results/90-86.html |date=2008-02-12 }}</ref> It has a 90% fresh rating on [[Rotten Tomatoes]] from 20 reviews.

==See also==
* [[List of American films of 1965]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title| 0059885 }}
* {{TCMDb title| 94915 }}
* {{AFI film|22801}}
* {{Discogs release|10785492}} Soundtrack
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|von_ryans_express}}

{{Mark Robson}}

[[Category:1965 films]]
[[Category:1965 war films]]
[[Category:American war films]]
[[Category:World War II prisoner of war films]]
[[Category:Films about shot-down aviators]]
[[Category:Films based on American novels]]
[[Category:Films based on military novels]]
[[Category:Films directed by Mark Robson]]
[[Category:Films set in Italy]]
[[Category:Italian Campaign of World War II films]]
[[Category:Rail transport films]]
[[Category:Films scored by Jerry Goldsmith]]
[[Category:1960s English-language films]]
[[Category:1960s American films]]
[[Category:English-language war films]]
[[Category:20th Century Fox films]]