Sentimental and Pushy

Rating: 6/10 (30 November 2008)

I was looking forward to seeing this film, after all the rave reviews, and was stunned by how flat-footed and obvious it was, not to mention how tone deaf it was. Hitchcock was a master at tone-blending (see, for example, North by Northwest). The tones in Stalag aren't integrated or meaningful. They're simply out of control, as the script veers from schtick to sentiment to hints of the brutal reality of World War II. Strauss and Lembeck are eating the scenery. Holden earns his name and Wilder's undying gratitude for giving this blather a center, providing someone to watch and something to think about. That said, the cinematographer and editor do a nice job despite being saddled with stage rather than film sets.