Now is the time for heroes.
A group of POWs in a German prison camp during World War II play the German National Soccer Team in this powerful film depicting the role of prisoners during wartime.
Escape to Victory (1981) is a drama and war film directed by John Huston, released on June 17, 1981 with a runtime of 1h 56m. It stars Sylvester Stallone, Michael Caine, Max von Sydow and Pelé. Viewers rate it 6.9 out of 10 across 1,036 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for Escape to Victory before you stream it.
Sylvester Stallone
as Captain Robert Hatch
Michael Caine
as Captain John Colby
Max von Sydow
as Major Karl von Steiner
Pelé
as Cpl. Luis Fernandez, Brazil
Daniel Massey
as Colonel Waldron
Tim Pigott-Smith
as Rose
Maurice Roëves
as Pyrie
Julian Curry
as Shurlock
Clive Merrison
as The Forger
Bobby Moore
as Terry Brady, England
Osvaldo Ardiles
as Carlos Rey, Argentina
Paul Van Himst
as Michel Fileu, Belgium
Directed by John Huston, written by Jeff Maguire, Yabo Yablonsky and Evan Jones, produced by Freddie Fields.
Average viewer score of 6.9/10 from 1,036 ratings.
Arguably one of the most unfairly derided boys own movies out there. World War II and the Nazi officers have come up with a propaganda driven idea for the German national football team to play a team composed of Allied Prisoners of War. Led by Capt. John Colby (Michael Caine) the prisoners agree, but there's more than just propaganda at stake here. Directed by John Huston in the twilight of his career, Escape To…
Reviewed on December 27, 2015
With World Cup fever in full swing, it feels like the perfect time to revisit a film we reviewed a few years ago: Escape to Victory. Set during World War II and loosely inspired by true events, this classic football film follows a group of Allied prisoners of war drafted by the Nazis into a high-stakes match against the German national team. Directed by the legendary John Huston and penned by the team of Evan Jones…
Reviewed on June 26, 2026
2014
2021
2008
1976
1981
1963
2024
1962
2011
2002
1983
2022
2015
1993
1941
1963
2001
2023
1980
1958
2012
2008
1986
2023
1980
1998
1969
2004
2008
1986
2006
2022
2021
1946
1992
1971
2002
2021
2023
2014
Escape to Victory (1981) is currently available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube and Fandango At Home. No subscription streaming option is listed right now, so availability may change.
The main cast of Escape to Victory (1981) includes Sylvester Stallone, Michael Caine, Max von Sydow, Pelé and Daniel Massey. The film was directed by John Huston. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
Escape to Victory was released on June 17, 1981 and runs for 1h 56m.
Escape to Victory (1981) holds an average rating of 6.9 out of 10 from 1,036 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy drama and war films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official Escape to Victory trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
