In 1963, this West German-Yugoslav war film was shown in the BERLINALE competition. Directed by Edwin ZBONEK, who also shot the two Bryce Edgar Wallace film adaptations THE MAD EXECUTIONERS (1963) and THE MONSTER OF LONDON CITY (1964), an exciting story from the time of the Second World War was created in Zagreb and Kikinda .
Franz Köhler (Götz GEORGE) is imprisoned in the Mauthausen concentration camp. His half-brother Willy (Günther UNGEHEUER) works there as an SS guard. One day Franz manages to escape. He is then followed by the security guards. His half-brother Willy becomes his most relentless pursuer...
A historical drama turns into an action-packed cat-and-mouse game that, although incredibly exciting, is not exactly appropriate for the seriousness of the situation. Günther UNGEHEUER is convincing as the diabolical SS half-brother, and EUROPEAN FILM AWARD nominee Götz GEORGE (he was nominated for AFTER THE TRUTH in 1999) can demonstrate his performance in various Karl May classics (TREASURE OF THE SILVER LAKE (1962), AMONG VULTURES ( 1964) and WINNETOU AND THE CROSSBREED (1966)) make full use of the action skills they have acquired. The production doesn't make it clear enough why the relationship between the two half-brothers is characterized by such hatred. As producer, Artur BRAUNER from CCC FILMKUNST probably pushed for a few cuts, so that after its showing at the BERLINALE, the film was not shown again in West Germany until the 1970s.
The rarely shown West German war film is definitely worth seeing, as it also shows the misery of the oppressed population, who come into contact with the deadly duel between the hating half-brothers as they pass by.
Franz Köhler (Götz GEORGE) is imprisoned in the Mauthausen concentration camp. His half-brother Willy (Günther UNGEHEUER) works there as an SS guard. One day Franz manages to escape. He is then followed by the security guards. His half-brother Willy becomes his most relentless pursuer...
A historical drama turns into an action-packed cat-and-mouse game that, although incredibly exciting, is not exactly appropriate for the seriousness of the situation. Günther UNGEHEUER is convincing as the diabolical SS half-brother, and EUROPEAN FILM AWARD nominee Götz GEORGE (he was nominated for AFTER THE TRUTH in 1999) can demonstrate his performance in various Karl May classics (TREASURE OF THE SILVER LAKE (1962), AMONG VULTURES ( 1964) and WINNETOU AND THE CROSSBREED (1966)) make full use of the action skills they have acquired. The production doesn't make it clear enough why the relationship between the two half-brothers is characterized by such hatred. As producer, Artur BRAUNER from CCC FILMKUNST probably pushed for a few cuts, so that after its showing at the BERLINALE, the film was not shown again in West Germany until the 1970s.
The rarely shown West German war film is definitely worth seeing, as it also shows the misery of the oppressed population, who come into contact with the deadly duel between the hating half-brothers as they pass by.
