Casablanca Express

Rating:
Summary: Middling World War II Action-Adventure
Review: By no means is "Casablanca Express" a great movie, but it is passable entertainment if you're not too discriminating and can accept some lapses in logic. Jason (son of Sean) Connery and Francesco (son of Anthony) Quinn are assigned to protect Winston Churchill who's travelling through North Africa on the Casablanca Express during World War II. The Germans are tipped off about Churchill's presence on the train and soon paratroopers capture the train and Churchill. It's up to Connery and Quinn (and the comely female agent Lorna) to rescue Mr. Churchill. Glenn Ford and Donald Pleasence have extended cameos as members of the Allied military brass in this European production. "Casablanca Express" makes a nice companion film to the superior "The Eagle Has Landed," wherein a team of German commandos attempt to assassinate Prime Minister Churchill on English soil.

The DVD, from Front Row, is another one of their budget releases, so don't expect too much. There are chapter breaks and biographies/filmographies for Connery and Pleasence, though the filmography for Pleasence, a prolific film actor, is missing many of his films. The film is presented full screen and the transfer, while not great, is acceptable for a budget release. The bottom line on "Casablanca Express" is that it's a fair time passer if you're not too demanding.

Rating:
Summary: Middling World War II Action-Adventure
Review: By no means is "Casablanca Express" a great movie, but it is passable entertainment if you're not too discriminating and can accept some lapses in logic. Jason (son of Sean) Connery and Francesco (son of Anthony) Quinn are assigned to protect Winston Churchill who's travelling through North Africa on the Casablanca Express during World War II. The Germans are tipped off about Churchill's presence on the train and soon paratroopers capture the train and Churchill. It's up to Connery and Quinn (and the comely female agent Lorna) to rescue Mr. Churchill. Glenn Ford and Donald Pleasence have extended cameos as members of the Allied military brass in this European production. "Casablanca Express" makes a nice companion film to the superior "The Eagle Has Landed," wherein a team of German commandos attempt to assassinate Prime Minister Churchill on English soil.

The DVD, from Front Row, is another one of their budget releases, so don't expect too much. There are chapter breaks and biographies/filmographies for Connery and Pleasence, though the filmography for Pleasence, a prolific film actor, is missing many of his films. The film is presented full screen and the transfer, while not great, is acceptable for a budget release. The bottom line on "Casablanca Express" is that it's a fair time passer if you're not too demanding.