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‘Victory’ With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan

August 3, 2021 · Victory (1981) · Drama · Sport · War · 1:29:29

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Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill SimmonsMultiple scenes from the last 30 minutes including Pele getting injured, the tunnel speech scene with 'Please, Hatch' moment, the comeback sequence with goals, and Pele's bicycle kick▶ 32:16
Chris RyanDiscussed various scenes including the first Colby von Steiner negotiation scene and commented on the soccer sequences, but didn't clearly state a single definitive pick▶ 29:35

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill SimmonsHow are there at least 500 people not escaping when they're opening fire on the crowd▶ 37:02

What's Aged the Best

Bill SimmonsWidescreen/HD technology for this movie, Prisoner FC team name detail, Pele's scissor kick, POW camps as movie premise, closing credits showing players with countries, the 'good Nazi' character concept, and Pele's legacy preservation in this film▶ 40:23
Chris RyanPele's bicycle kick goal (comparing it to Zidane's Champions League goal), British officers who domesticated the prison camp, beating Nazis at anything concept, and Conti's goal▶ 41:15

What's Aged the Worst

Bill SimmonsPele holding his ribs and jumping up during the bicycle kick scene, plus Hatch's escape subplot to Paris▶ 50:39
Chris RyanHatch's escape subplot, particularly the whole sojourn to Paris▶ 51:19

Casting What-Ifs

Bill SimmonsClint EastwoodDiscussed Roger Moore as John Colby but seemed neutral; explored Clint Eastwood as Hatch, saying it would be a completely different movie with no comic relief▶ 54:48
Chris RyanMichael CainePrefers Michael Caine over Roger Moore for John Colby; suggests modern casting should be 'a more working man's Colin Firth'▶ 54:54

Joey Pants Award

Bill SimmonsThe two unnamed guys who help with the escape plan, sitting in the crowd (one with glasses who puts his hand to his face)▶ 56:21
Chris RyanMaurice RoëvesMaurice Roves, the Scottish officer who later gets his heart cut out by Magua in Last of the Mohicans▶ 56:44

Apex Mountain

Bill SimmonsOsvaldo ArdilesAgrees on 'If switch town' having apex mountain, rejects Stallone, Pele, Michael Caine, Werner Roth, John Houston, and soccer. Notes Ozzie Ardiles' 1978 World Cup as his peak. Suggests two-man sit-ups and old school calisthenics as apex mountain moments.▶ 1:03:40
Chris RyanMichael CaineAgrees on 'If switch town' apex mountain, discusses good Nazi performances in Great Escape, notes Michael Caine's use of 'bloody' as potential apex mountain for that word usage.▶ 1:03:41

Who Won the Movie

Bill SimmonsPeléPele - for making his enduring legacy, nailing the bicycle kick, and making soccer seem cool▶ 1:26:49
Chris RyanMichael CaineMichael Cain - for showing he could act under any circumstances and be believable as a soccer player despite lacking the skills▶ 1:27:17
Chris RyanPeléPele▶ 1:28:44

Movies Referenced (24)

Title (year)LinksMentionsMentioned byFirst
Sing (2016)IMDb ↗Lb ↗7Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 39:06
Jaws (1975)IMDb ↗Lb ↗5Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 24:04
Brazil (1985)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons▶ 31:58
Casablanca (1942)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Chris Ryan▶ 1:25:12
Fargo (1996)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons▶ 1:06:12
First Blood (1982)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons▶ 5:26
The Great Escape (1963)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Chris Ryan▶ 16:31
The Longest Yard (2005)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons▶ 3:51
The Maltese Falcon (1941)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 16:27
Any Given Sunday (1999)IMDb ↗Lb ↗1Chris Ryan▶ 47:38
Bend It Like Beckham (2002)IMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill Simmons▶ 25:39
Dressed to Kill (1980)IMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill Simmons▶ 23:14

Directors Referenced (6)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
John HoustonIMDb ↗Lb ↗7Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 9:31
Clint EastwoodIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons, Chris RyanMillion Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, Unforgiven▶ 55:15
John ColoradoIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill SimmonsHancock▶ 29:20
Ingmar BergmanIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Chris RyanThe Seventh Seal▶ 1:04:50
John HustonIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsThe Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Chinatown▶ 5:58
Oliver StoneIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsBorn on the Fourth of July, Platoon, JFK▶ 23:28

Actors Referenced (38)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Sylvester StalloneIMDb ↗Lb ↗24Bill Simmons, Chris RyanRocky, Rocky IV, Creed▶ 5:17
Michael CaineIMDb ↗Lb ↗21Bill Simmons, Chris RyanThe Dark Knight, The Cider House Rules▶ 5:02
Werner RothIMDb ↗Lb ↗8Bill Simmons, Chris RyanVictory▶ 6:35
Bobby MooreIMDb ↗Lb ↗5Bill Simmons, Chris RyanVictory▶ 6:25
Crazy TownIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill SimmonsSomething's Gotta Give▶ 21:50
Bill ContiIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons, Chris RyanFor Your Eyes Only, Rocky▶ 38:17
Gene HackmanIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill SimmonsThe French Connection, The Royal Tenenbaums, Unforgiven▶ 1:17:00
LeBron JamesIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons▶ 8:34
Alan ThatcherIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill SimmonsStir of Echoes▶ 33:39
Roger MooreIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons, Chris RyanMoonraker, The Spy Who Loved Me, For Your Eyes Only▶ 54:48
Vince Giordano and The NighthawksIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill SimmonsRevolutionary Road▶ 1:01:50
Adam SandlerIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsBig Daddy, Little Nicky▶ 3:49

Writers Referenced (3)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Andy GreenwaldIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill Simmons▶ 1:36
James JoyceIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Chris Ryan▶ 1:08:29
Michael KaneIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Chris RyanAll the Right Moves▶ 54:57

Cinematographers Referenced (2)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Robert BarcelonaIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Chris Ryan, Bill SimmonsElysium, Venom, Jurassic World▶ 20:02
Michael KahnIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsJurassic Park, Minority Report▶ 33:48