1981 Film 'Victory' Revisited During World Cup
Originally published Jun 20, 2026
By Alison Foreman · IndieWire
AI-generated summary based on IndieWire · Aggregated by Filmarian · Human-reviewed and approved on Jun 20, 2026
Key points
- The 1981 film 'Victory' stars Sylvester Stallone, Michael Caine, and Max Von Sydow as Allied POWs.
- The movie features a symbolic soccer match between prisoners and their Nazi captors.
- It is a remake of the Hungarian film 'Two Half Times in Hell' and includes real-life soccer stars like Pelé and Bobby Moore.
- The film's premise is similar to 'The Longest Yard,' but with a more serious tone.
- IndieWire revisits the film during the 2026 World Cup as part of its After Dark series.
IndieWire revisits 'Victory,' a 1981 war and sports film directed by John Huston. The movie features Sylvester Stallone, Michael Caine, and Max Von Sydow as Allied POWs who challenge their Nazi captors to a symbolic soccer match. The film is a remake of the Hungarian movie 'Two Half Times in Hell' and was notable for its cast of real-life soccer stars like Pelé and Bobby Moore. The piece highlights the film's unique premise and its relevance during the 2026 World Cup.
Read the original story: IndieWire — by Alison Foreman