50.224.220.2: robot: Create/upgrade articles. If there is a mistake please report on my talk page.

2022-09-27T21:23:19Z

robot: Create/upgrade articles. If there is a mistake please report on my talk page.

New page

{{Short description|1968 film by Jack Smight}}
{{Infobox film
| name = The Secret War of Harry Frigg
| image = thesecretwarofharryfrigg1968.jpg
| caption =
| director = [[Jack Smight]]
| producer = [[Hal E. Chester]]
| screenplay = [[Peter Stone (writer)|Peter Stone]]<br />[[Frank Tarloff]]
| story = [[Frank Tarloff]]
| starring = [[Paul Newman]]<br>[[Sylva Koscina]]
| music = [[Carlo Rustichelli]]
| cinematography = [[Russell Metty]]
| editing = [[J. Terry Williams]]
| studio = Albion Film Corp.
| distributor = [[Universal Pictures]]
| released = {{Film date|1968|2|29|New York City|1968|3|7|Los Angeles|1968|3|11|United States}}
| runtime = 110 minutes
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget =
| gross = $3,500,000 (US/ Canada)<ref>"Big Rental Films of 1968", ''Variety'', 8 January 1969 p 15. Please note this figure is a rental accruing to distributors.</ref>
}}
'''''The Secret War of Harry Frigg''''' is a 1968 American [[comedy]] [[war film]] set in [[World War II]]. It was directed by [[Jack Smight]] and stars [[Paul Newman]].

==Plot==
Several brigadier generals (American, British, and French) are unexpectedly taken prisoner by the Italian army while arguing military tactics in a sauna; this is a public relations disaster for the Allies. The brigadiers are held in an Italian villa, run by the benevolent Colonel Ferrucci, as a luxurious version of a prison camp. Being all of the same rank, none is in command and they are forced to plan escapes by committee, with predictably ineffective results.

Meanwhile, Allied headquarters devises a plot to free them by sending in Harry Frigg (Paul Newman). Frigg is a private in the [[U.S. Army]], a malcontent who has a history of escaping from military stockades. As incentive, he is promised a promotion to [[master sergeant]] after the generals have been freed. Accepting the mission, Frigg is "promoted" to major general so that he will outrank all the prisoners, assume command and lead the resultant breakout. Parachuted behind enemy lines, Frigg allows himself to be captured, and, as planned, is imprisoned in the same jail as the brigadiers. While they are initially skeptical of Frigg's rank, he has been given a few personal secrets about them that only a senior officer might be expected to know.

Frigg discovers a secret passage, which has potential for use during the getaway. It starts in his bedroom and takes him to the gatehouse outside the villa's fence where the owner of the property, Countess Francesca De Montefiore ([[Sylva Koscina]]) is living. The escape plan is put on hold when the two become romantically involved.

Eventually, it cannot be avoided any longer and the scheme is reactivated. On the eve of the group's intended breakout, Colonel Ferrucci announces that because of the low escape rate in the complex, he is to be promoted to general at midnight the following night. The group decides to put their plans off by a day to ensure the Colonel gets promoted, despite knowing that his rank will be stripped once they do escape. During the celebration, a German major arrives, and at midnight he announces that Italy has [[Armistice of Cassibile|surrendered]] to the Allies, and everyone present are now his prisoners.

The Germans transfer the generals to a high-security prison camp for officers. Escape seems hopeless. Frigg confesses to being only a private, and is separated from the rest to be delivered to a basic holding camp for [[Non-commissioned officer|NCOs]]. Slipping away from his guard, he then breaks back into the officers' camp, subsequently freeing them all and capturing the Major in the process.

The film concludes with Frigg ending the war as a [[master sergeant]]; he is offered the opportunity to be in charge of a radio station, and a promotion to [[second lieutenant]]. While discussing the role, Frigg and his entourage pass the countess' castle. He dashes in to reunite with her and realizes that the villa is the perfect base for the radio station.

==Cast==
*[[Paul Newman]] as Private/Major General/Sergeant/2nd Lt. Harry Frigg
*[[Sylva Koscina]] as Countess Francesca De Montefiore
*[[Andrew Duggan]] as Brigadier General Newton Armstrong
*[[Tom Bosley]] as Brigadier General Roscoe Pennypacker
*[[John Williams (actor)|John Williams]] as Brigadier Francis Mayhew
*[[Charles Gray (actor)|Charles Gray]] as Brigadier Adrian Cox-Roberts
*[[Vito Scotti]] as Colonel Enrico Ferrucci
*[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0746208/ Jacques Roux] as Brigade General Andre Rochambeau
*[[Werner Peters]] as Major von Steignitz
*[[James Gregory (actor)|James Gregory]] as Brigadier General Homer Prentiss
*[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0591860/ Fabrizio Mioni] as Lieutenant Rossano
*[[Johnny Haymer]] as Sergeant Pozzallo
*[[Norman Fell]] as Captain Stanley
*[[Buck Henry]] as Stockade Commandant

==Production==
The film was originally titled ''Back at the Front''.<ref>Will Real Frank Tarloff Please Stand Up?
Stone, Peter. Los Angeles Times 22 May 1966: c6</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of American films of 1968]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|0063573}}
* {{tcmdb title|89477}}
* {{Allmovie title|43489}}

{{Jack Smight}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Secret War Of Harry Frigg}}
[[Category:1968 films]]
[[Category:1968 comedy films]]
[[Category:1960s war comedy films]]
[[Category:American war comedy films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Jack Smight]]
[[Category:Films scored by Carlo Rustichelli]]
[[Category:Films set in Italy]]
[[Category:Italian Campaign of World War II films]]
[[Category:Military humor in film]]
[[Category:Universal Pictures films]]
[[Category:World War II prisoner of war films]]
[[Category:1960s English-language films]]
[[Category:1960s American films]]

The Secret War of Harry Frigg - Revision history

50.224.220.2: robot: Create/upgrade articles. If there is a mistake please report on my talk page.