The Secret War of Harry Frigg
Encyclopedia
The Secret War of Harry Frigg is a 1968 comedy film
set in World War II
. It was directed by Jack Smight
and starred Paul Newman
.
Headquarters devises a plot to free them by sending in Harry Frigg (Paul Newman). Frigg is a private in the U.S. Army who is forever escaping from military stockades. As incentive, he is promised a cushy job after the war. Frigg is promoted to major general so that he will outrank the prisoners. Frigg allows himself to be captured, and is imprisoned in the same jail as the brigadiers. While they are initially skeptical of his rank, he has been given a few personal secrets about them.
Frigg's plan to free all the generals is put on hold when he becomes romantically involved with Countess Francesca De Montefiore (Sylva Koscina
), the owner of the castle where they are imprisoned. The escape plans are reactivated when Italy surrenders and the Germans take the generals to a high-security prison camp. Frigg eventually frees them all, and ends the war as a second lieutenant in charge of a radio station, using the countess's castle as its base.
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
set in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was directed by Jack Smight
Jack Smight
Jack Smight was an American theatre and film director.Smight was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and went to school with future actor Peter Graves...
and starred Paul Newman
Paul Newman
Paul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, professional racing driver and auto racing enthusiast...
.
Plot
Several brigadier generals (American, British, and French) are unexpectedly taken prisoner by the Italians while in the sauna - which is a public relations disaster. The generals are held in an Italian villa. Being all of the same rank, none is in command and they are forced to plan escapes by committee, with predictably ineffective results.Headquarters devises a plot to free them by sending in Harry Frigg (Paul Newman). Frigg is a private in the U.S. Army who is forever escaping from military stockades. As incentive, he is promised a cushy job after the war. Frigg is promoted to major general so that he will outrank the prisoners. Frigg allows himself to be captured, and is imprisoned in the same jail as the brigadiers. While they are initially skeptical of his rank, he has been given a few personal secrets about them.
Frigg's plan to free all the generals is put on hold when he becomes romantically involved with Countess Francesca De Montefiore (Sylva Koscina
Sylva Koscina
Sylva Koscina was an Italian actress.-Biography:...
), the owner of the castle where they are imprisoned. The escape plans are reactivated when Italy surrenders and the Germans take the generals to a high-security prison camp. Frigg eventually frees them all, and ends the war as a second lieutenant in charge of a radio station, using the countess's castle as its base.
Cast
- Paul NewmanPaul NewmanPaul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, professional racing driver and auto racing enthusiast...
as Private Harry Frigg - Sylva KoscinaSylva KoscinaSylva Koscina was an Italian actress.-Biography:...
as Countess Francesca De Montefiore - Andrew DugganAndrew Duggan-Career:During World War II, Duggan was in the 40th Special Services Company, led by actor Melvyn Douglas in the China Burma India Theater of World War II. His contact with Douglas later led to his performing with Lucille Ball in the play Dreamgirl. He developed a friendship with Broadway...
as General Newton Armstrong - Tom BosleyTom BosleyThomas Edward "Tom" Bosley was an American actor. Bosley is best known for portraying Howard Cunningham on the long-running ABC sitcom Happy Days. He also was featured in recurring roles on Murder, She Wrote, and Father Dowling Mysteries...
as General Roscoe Pennypacker - John WilliamsJohn Williams (actor)John Williams was an English stage, film and television actor. He is remembered for his role as chief inspector Hubbard in Alfred Hitchcock's Dial M For Murder, and as portraying the second "Mr...
as General Francis Mayhew - Charles GrayCharles Gray (actor)Charles Gray was an English actor who was well-known for roles including the arch-villain Blofeld in the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever, Sherlock Holmes' brother Mycroft Holmes in the Granada television series, and as The Criminologist in the cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show in...
as General Adrian Cox-Roberts - Vito ScottiVito ScottiVito Scotti was a veteran character actor who played many roles, primarily from the late-1940s to the mid-1990s. He was known as a man of a thousand faces, for his ability to assume so many divergent roles in more than 200 screen roles, in a nearly 50 year career. He was known for his resourceful...
as Colonel Enrico Ferrucci - Jacques Roux as General Andre Rochambeau
- Werner PetersWerner PetersWerner Peters was a German film actor. He appeared in 102 films between 1947 and 1971.Peters was born in Werlitzsch, Kreis Delitzsch, Prussian Saxony, and died of a heart attack on a promotion tour for his latest film in Wiesbaden, Germany.His film career started with the lead in Wolfgang...
as Major von Steignitz - James GregoryJames Gregory (actor)James Gregory was an American character actor noted for his deep, gravelly voice and playing brash roles such as McCarthy-like Senator John Iselin in The Manchurian Candidate , the audacious General Ursus in Beneath the Planet of the Apes, and loudmouthed Inspector Luger in Barney Miller...
as General Homer Prentiss - Fabrizio Mioni as Lieutenant Rossano
- Johnny HaymerJohnny HaymerJohnny Haymer was an American actor who played Staff Sergeant Zelmo Zale, a recurring character in the television series M*A*S*H. Another high-profile role was that of the painfully unfunny stand-up comedian in the Woody Allen film Annie Hall...
as Sergeant Pozzallo - Norman FellNorman FellNorman Fell , born Norman Noah Feld, was an American actor of film and television, most famous for his role as landlord Mr. Roper on the sitcom Three's Company and its spin-off, The Ropers.-Early life:...
as Captain Stanley - Buck HenryBuck HenryHenry Zuckerman, better known as Buck Henry , is an American actor, writer, film director, and television director.-Early life:...
as Stockade Commandant