Escape to Athena
historyEscape to Athena is a British adventure war film (with elements of comedy) released in 1979, directed by George Pan Cosmatos and produced by Lew Grade's ITC Entertainment. The international cast included many well-known actors of the 1970s.
Plot
The film is set during the Second World War on a German-occupied Greek island. It is filmed on the island of Rhodes according to the credits at the end of the film. There is a small town on the island where the Greek resistance movement is strong. The presence of various Ottoman Turkish buildings, and structures and even a mosque with beautifully adorned minaret (where a German sniper was perched) is noteworthy.
On the same island there is a POW camp. The commandant of the camp is an antiques-loving Austrian, Major Otto Hecht (Roger Moore). The prisoners, living quite a comfortable life, are doing archaeological work and the commandant is sending valuable works of art to his sister living in Switzerland.
Meanwhile, the Greek resistance movement is preparing for the landing of the Allies. The overtaking of the camp is a part of this plan. Another task is to destroy the missile launching pad (located in a monastery).
The film features one of the most memorable motorcycle chase scenes in cinematic history.
- Roger Moore as Major Otto Hecht – the Wehrmacht commandant of the POW camp
- Telly Savalas as Zeno – the head of the local resistance movement
- David Niven as Professor Blake – an archaeologist, prisoner in the camp
- Stefanie Powers as Dottie Del Mar – an American artist (in fact, stripper), who was shot down with Charlie and detained in the POW camp.
- Elliott Gould as Charlie – a comedian, partner of Dottie.
- Claudia Cardinale as Eleana – a local madame, girlfriend of Zeno
- Richard Roundtree as Nat Judson – a magician, POW
- Sonny Bono as Bruno Rotelli – an Italian chef, POW
- Anthony Valentine as SS Major Volkmann – the ruthless SS commander of the island and Hecht's rival
- Siegfried Rauch as Braun – a vicious SS officer
- Michael Sheard as Sergeant Mann – Hecht's senior NCO
Cameo
William Holden, who was in a relationship with Stefanie Powers at the time of filming, makes a cameo in the film as a POW. Elliot Gould's character passes by Holden leaning against the POW barracks, looks at him and asks, "Are you still here?" This is in reference to Holden's Oscar-winning performance in Billy Wilder's WWII/POW film Stalag 17 as Sefton, who actually escapes at the end of that film.
- Kelly's Heroes (1970)
- Inside Out (1975)