Lionel Evans (Charlton Heston) is the arrogant world-famous symphony orchestra conductor touring European for the USO in December 1944. Suddenly, the German counter-attack in the Battle of the Bulge. Their bus gets tricked into driving the wrong direction and they get captured by the Germans. Orders are to execute all prisoners. General Schiller (Maximilian Schell) is a fan.
Nobody mentions any Jewish musicians in the group. Schiller probably already assumes that there are some. I would think that the musicians would breach the subject matter themselves. Someone needs to say something. There is one moment when this is suggested. I just don't understand why they don't come out and say the words. For the tension, Schiller should make the execution command right from the start and a matter of due course. It would start the conflict sooner and get the intensity going. As for the escape, it's not that realistic, but it's not outright fantasy either. Of course, Heston has to be the captain going down with the ship. At least, he's not a natural gun person and that's realistic. All in all, this has an unusual premise and the execution is somewhat good.
Nobody mentions any Jewish musicians in the group. Schiller probably already assumes that there are some. I would think that the musicians would breach the subject matter themselves. Someone needs to say something. There is one moment when this is suggested. I just don't understand why they don't come out and say the words. For the tension, Schiller should make the execution command right from the start and a matter of due course. It would start the conflict sooner and get the intensity going. As for the escape, it's not that realistic, but it's not outright fantasy either. Of course, Heston has to be the captain going down with the ship. At least, he's not a natural gun person and that's realistic. All in all, this has an unusual premise and the execution is somewhat good.