Von Ryan's Express
Von Ryan's Express stars Frank Sinatra as a POW colonel who leads a daring escape from WWII Italy by taking over a freight train, but he has to win over the British soldiers he finds himself commanding.
Critics Sentiment
Ryan and Fincham fight off SS troops in Italian Alps
Ryan betrays escape plans to Battaglia for better conditions
The film dramatically improves from Ryan's controversial early decisions to the exciting train takeover sequence, jumping 2 points as it shifts from character drama to adventure thriller.
Von Ryan's Express starts as a slower character study in the prison camp but builds momentum steadily once the train adventure begins. The film peaks with its thrilling action sequences in the final act, particularly the mountain battle, though some reviewers noted occasional implausibility in the escape scenarios. Despite mixed feelings about character development, critics consistently praised the exciting finale and Sinatra's surprising dramatic death.
Full cast
Showing 20 of 28
Frank Sinatra
Colonel Joseph L. Ryan
Trevor Howard
Major Eric Fincham
Raffaella Carrà
Gabriella
Brad Dexter
Sergeant Bostick
Sergio Fantoni
Captain Oriani
John Leyton
Lt. Orde
Edward Mulhare
Captain Costanzo
Wolfgang Preiss
Major Von Klemment
James Brolin
Private Ames
John van Dreelen
Colonel Gortz
Adolfo Celi
Battaglia
Vito Scotti
Peppino, Italian Train Engineer
Richard Bakalyan
Corporal Giannini
Michael Goodliffe
Captain Stein
Michael St. Clair
Sergeant Major Dunbar
Ivan Triesault
Von Kleist
Ian Abercrombie
English POW
Jacques Stany
Gortz's Aide
Robert "Buzz" Henry
American POW
John Daheim
American POW
Crew
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