Escape to Athena (1979)

The patriot, the professor, the comic and the stripper... were fighting for what they believed in... Getting rich!

During the World War II, the prisoners of a German camp in a Greek island are trying to escape. They not only want their freedom, but also seek an ineffable treasure hidden in a monastery at the summit of the island's mountain.

Directed by: George P. Cosmatos

Written by: Edward Anhalt, Richard S. Lochte

Music by: Lalo Schifrin

Starring: Roger Moore, Telly Savalas, David Niven, Stefanie Powers, Claudia Cardinale, Richard Roundtree, Sonny Bono, Elliott Gould, Anthony Valentine, Siegfried Rauch

Genre: Adventure, Comedy, War, Action

Released: 1979-05-21

Runtime: 125 minutes

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Escape to Athena (1979): trivia & fun facts

Fun facts

• William Holden was visiting his girlfriend Stefanie Powers during filming and was persuaded to make a cameo in the prison camp scene, presumably reprising his role as Stalag 17 escapee Sergeant J.J. Sefton.
• Producer Jack Wiener said during the shoot that the film cost $10 million and needed to make $30 million at the box office to recoup its cost.
• William Holden, who was in a romantic relationship with Stefanie Powers at the time, makes an uncredited cameo as an American sergeant, commenting that he has not escaped as he has a comfortable life as a prisoner (an inside joke referencing his role in Stalag 17).
• It was financed by Lew Grade's ITC Entertainment, which had previously made The Eagle Has Landed, which had been produced by the team of David Niven Jr and Jack Wiener, and had been successful.
• Grade gave the job of directing to George P. Cosmatos who had just made The Cassandra Crossing for ITC and who Grade felt "would make a great action movie and as 'action' was in vogue again I was confident we were on to a winner".
• Grade's first five films had been made in partnership with General Cinema, but Grade would finance these himself.
• David Niven Jr. said "we had a lot of fun on that picture, I just wish it had been more successful."
• During a battle with the resistance, SS Major Volkmann escapes on a motorcycle with Charlie (played by Elliott Gould) chasing after him on a motorcycle with sidecar down narrow village streets.

Source: Wikipedia

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