bkoganbing For reasons I can't explain The Victors seems to have disappeared from circulation. Lucky I got to see it on YouTube for the first time in over 40 years. Probably for the first time since V-J Day an American World War II film showed some of our GIs as less than noble characters.The Victors follows a platoon of GIs from Sicily to post war Berlin in one case. The main players are George Peppard and George Hamilton and their sergeant Eli Wallach. All three turn in sterling performances and Wallach should have gotten consideration for an Oscar. Some of the others in the cast are Vincent Edwards, James Mitchum, Peter Fonda and playing a special role based on Private Eddie Slovik is Michael Callan.Unlike other war films this has a substantial female cast showing the women of Italy, France and then Germany struggling to survive in war torn countries. Melina Mercouri plays a French club owner who seduces Peppard into bed and black market. Senta Berger and Elke Sommer play a pair of German sisters who are milking their occupiers for the necessities and a few luxuries both American and Russian. Romy Schneider plays a young French girl with a talent for music and reluctant entertaining.Soldiers pretty much behave as these guys do for thousands of years. Their battle deeds may be heroic, but they have their needs that deeds don't quite satisfy unless you get a charge out of killing.Screenwriter Carl Foreman directed as well as wrote the screenplay adapted from a British novel. These same characters were British in the book. Novice director Foreman got great results from his ensemble cast.We should all hope this comes out on DVD soon.

pefrss I just watched this movie for the first time on TV. I probably missed it before because I hate war films, but this is an anti-war film and one of the best I have ever seen. War is not only about the soldiers fighting, war is forced on the civilian population too, and post traumatic stress disorders were inflicted on those who did not fight too. War does not only destroy or maim the physical body but also the mind of anybody who is unlucky enough to get a too close to war. . I was reading through the comments and people commented on the American cast and completely ignored that the movie stars some of the greatest European actresses of that time. Jeanne Moreau, Romy Schneider, Melina Mercoury, Rosanna Schiaffino, Elke Sommer and Senta Berger and they make the movie. No wonder, that the movie is not listed as one of the top movies of all time. In a country where one war after the other is fought and those are fighting are told that it is glorious and honorable job they are doing. Reality only hits after they come home maimed in many ways and can't find a job and they end up homeless and unemployed and ridiculed because they have PTSD. I wish more movies like this would me made so that people see war more realistically and not glorify it.

GUENOT PHILIPPE I did not know this movie, even never heard of it, until it was aired on France 3 channel, in 2006, and presented by the mighty Patrick Brion, the most famous movie buff and American movie industry specialist in France, with of course François Guerif and Bertrand Tavernier. Yes, this war film is for me one of the best ever, if not THE best. The most intelligent and poignant too, on small sequences that you may miss if you pick up your handkerchief during the viewing. The characterization is also outstanding. I feel hurt to know this film was more than cut off. Such a shame. I will look for a full length version of this gem. And I think that when a producer such as Carl Foreman - or even an actor - becomes director, unlike other guys who always have been only filmmakers - that means they have really something strong to show, to express to the audiences. They not only direct to pay their gas or electricity bills. Foreman, produced, directed and wrote this real, genuine masterpiece. I feel hurt for him when I see what happened to this feature. Those b...above him, distributors I mean, destroyed half of his work. That makes me puke. But I keep hope. To, one day, at last watch this entire masterpiece.

raven_1-1 This is a truly excellent film and is perhaps the greatest American war film ever made; a soldier's version of The Cruel Sea, where the relentless frightfulness of the war grinds down the participants humanity to a degree they never imagined possible.Too many war films portray some inane gung-ho spirit (any John Wayne film; Where Eagles Dare) or too much manufactured pathos (e.g. any John Wayne film; Saving Private Ryan)to be truly saddening; but The Victors really tears at the heart and mind when showing how ordinary people (soldiers and civilians) are emotionally damaged by the war (e.g. the dog scenes or the violinist's actions that starts the erosion of George Hamilton's basic decency)and we care about their fate or cry at what they become (actually I only felt tears for the final dog scene, but really identified emotionally with Hamilton when he saw the violinist with the oafish soldier).The viewer is given no easy consolation by characters dying to save others or marrying that desolate woman, and will emerge from the film a little sadder, but wiser. I cannot recommend this film too highly.As an amusing (ish) and friendly aside, I have worked out how manufacturers of American helmets could have saved manufacturing costs! How? Easy.......just dispense with the chin straps because no American soldier ever appears to use them in any film I have ever seen and the helmet stays on under all and any conditions!!!