During World War II, a lonely German air-raid warden captures two downed American airmen and keeps them prisoner in his basement way past the end of the war.During World War II, a lonely German air-raid warden captures two downed American airmen and keeps them prisoner in his basement way past the end of the war.During World War II, a lonely German air-raid warden captures two downed American airmen and keeps them prisoner in his basement way past the end of the war.
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It's a good idea/set-up but this movie is really not handled well. Direction and pace are stodgy. Alec G is on oddball mode, grinning and emotionally remote with a clip-on German accent. Redford and Connors are very typical GI types who don't even look dirty, let alone age, despite years held in captivity. There is no further character development, but neither is there enough tension or decent humour to keep it all going, I was looking at my watch throughout. I baffled constantly at the lack of clear motive as to why the captive situation continued to exist. Equally as frustrating was how the two, fit young GI's made practically no attempt to out-fox or overpower their elderly captor. It's all very shallow, passive and careless. Even more annoying was the lack of satisfying pay-off at the end. We were not shown any scenes of the two captive's reactions upon realising the truth, which at least could have redeemed something of the movie. Instead we get a bizarre final scene that left me scratching my head, spluttering as to why and how THIS was happening now! Lots of classic Alec G movies out there, but this aint one.
If you're an older individual or a younger one with more of a brain than most, you'll probably enjoy the humor of this film. It's not laugh out loud hilarious but it has some good performances in it. It's one of the best performances ever given by Mike Connors. Redford is good in it too and so is Alec Guinness, which should really surprise no one since he was a great actor.
But this is an older comedy that requires some intellect to enjoy it. Suffice to say, if you're a fan of Adam Sandler, you probably won't understand it.
It's also based on the first novel of actor Robert Shaw (Quint from "Jaws.") The novel is more serious than this film though, and the film was not as critically acclaimed as the novel. Many don't know Shaw was also a great writer as well as a great actor. He even wrote "The Man in the Glass Booth," one of the most famous plays ever written.
But overall, it's a fun story and a very original idea.
It's interesting to note that later on, Shaw and Robert Redford's names would be linked up again when they both appeared in the film "The Sting." And Alec Guinness also has worked with Shaw on stage in different plays.
But this is an older comedy that requires some intellect to enjoy it. Suffice to say, if you're a fan of Adam Sandler, you probably won't understand it.
It's also based on the first novel of actor Robert Shaw (Quint from "Jaws.") The novel is more serious than this film though, and the film was not as critically acclaimed as the novel. Many don't know Shaw was also a great writer as well as a great actor. He even wrote "The Man in the Glass Booth," one of the most famous plays ever written.
But overall, it's a fun story and a very original idea.
It's interesting to note that later on, Shaw and Robert Redford's names would be linked up again when they both appeared in the film "The Sting." And Alec Guinness also has worked with Shaw on stage in different plays.
Although most Americans have little knowledge of his work other than Star Wars, Alec Guinness produced an amazing body of work--particularly in the 1940s-1950s--ranging from dramas to quirky comedies. I particularly love his comedies, as they are so well-done and seem so natural and real on the screen--far different from the usual fare from Hollywood.
This movie stars Robert Redford and Mike Connors as two aviators who are shot down over Germany during WW2. They are captured by civilian Guinness who doesn't have the heart to turn them in to the Nazis. So what does he do? That's right--creates his own jail and keeps them himself!! The problem is, Guinness is a lonely man and grows to like having these prisoners in his life. So much that when the war ends, he doesn't tell them and keeps them! Where this weird movie goes from there is something you'll just have to see for yourself. However, for some inexplicable reason, this movie has been panned by many. I'm not sure why, as I enjoyed it and admire it for its originality.
This movie stars Robert Redford and Mike Connors as two aviators who are shot down over Germany during WW2. They are captured by civilian Guinness who doesn't have the heart to turn them in to the Nazis. So what does he do? That's right--creates his own jail and keeps them himself!! The problem is, Guinness is a lonely man and grows to like having these prisoners in his life. So much that when the war ends, he doesn't tell them and keeps them! Where this weird movie goes from there is something you'll just have to see for yourself. However, for some inexplicable reason, this movie has been panned by many. I'm not sure why, as I enjoyed it and admire it for its originality.
Two American soldiers stationed in Germany during World War II are captured by an odd German shopkeeper (Alec Guinness); he imprisons the two men in his basement and keeps them there long after the war is over. Strange, unhappy, insecure comedy-drama is extremely well-cast but is really too creepy to laugh at. As the soldiers, Michael Connors and Robert Redford have some good moments, but one can't help but feeling this is just an actors' exercise for both (they're green, but commendable). Alec Guinness is forced to walk a fine line in his characterization; it's imperative to the story that we don't hate the shopkeeper, and Guinness works hard at finding nuances in the man to keep him complex and interesting. If newcomers Connors and Redford are young actors just finding their way, then Guinness is in the Master's class. *1/2 from ****
Situation Hopeless - But Not Serious is a little seen curate's egg.
If it was not for an early appearance by Robert Redford, it would have been lost to the midst of time. Even though it stars Oscar winner Alec Guinness.
He plays the meek oddball lonely drug store clerk Herr Frick. He ends up jailing two US airmen who land in his small town. Not in a prison but in the cellar of his house where they are well looked after.
Captain Hank Wilson (Robert Redford) and Sergeant Lucky Finder (Mike Connors) try to escape without success. Unfortunately they end up staying for some years because Herr Frick does not tell them that the war is over and the allies won.
Shot in Germany, this is meant to be a satirical comedy but it does not hit the mark and is not always funny.
Maybe because it is a curious mixture of American, English and continental humour. Guinness treats it all as an Ealing comedy. Redford and Connors get to monkey around a bit.
The movie was adapted from a story by Robert Shaw. He would later appear with Redford in the Oscar winning The Sting.
If it was not for an early appearance by Robert Redford, it would have been lost to the midst of time. Even though it stars Oscar winner Alec Guinness.
He plays the meek oddball lonely drug store clerk Herr Frick. He ends up jailing two US airmen who land in his small town. Not in a prison but in the cellar of his house where they are well looked after.
Captain Hank Wilson (Robert Redford) and Sergeant Lucky Finder (Mike Connors) try to escape without success. Unfortunately they end up staying for some years because Herr Frick does not tell them that the war is over and the allies won.
Shot in Germany, this is meant to be a satirical comedy but it does not hit the mark and is not always funny.
Maybe because it is a curious mixture of American, English and continental humour. Guinness treats it all as an Ealing comedy. Redford and Connors get to monkey around a bit.
The movie was adapted from a story by Robert Shaw. He would later appear with Redford in the Oscar winning The Sting.
Did you know
- TriviaThe title is a variation of an old Viennese saying; "The situation is desperate, but not serious." A direct influence on the title comes from Billy Wilder's One, Two, Three (1961). In it, James Cagney coaches Horst Buchholz to tell Buchholz's American father-in-law that the situation is "serious, but not hopeless." A flustered Buchholz tells his father-in-law, "The situation is hopeless, but not serious."
- GoofsThe opening shows B17s flying over Germany in 1944 but the aircraft from which the 2 parachutes appear is a C130 Hercules aircraft which didn't fly until 1954.
- Quotes
Wilhelm Frick: Americans cannot be happy without freedom. In Germany, we never had freedom. Therefore, we have philosophy.
- ConnectionsRemake of Playhouse 90: The Hiding Place (1960)
- SoundtracksSituation Hopeless But Not Serious
(uncredited)
Music by Leon Carr
Lyrics by Earl Schuman
Sung by Mady Rahl
- How long is Situation Hopeless -- But Not Serious?Powered by Alexa
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- Release date
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- Also known as
- Lage hoffnungslos - aber nicht ernst
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- Runtime1 hour 37 minutes
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- 1.37 : 1
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By what name was Situation Hopeless -- But Not Serious (1965) officially released in India in English?
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