A dull, trashy WWII escape thriller elevated by Malcom McDowell’s campy performance. It’s almost like he’s playing Alex from Clockwork Orange but directed by Ken Russell.  There’s a lot of Mahler in this performance … especially under the pants. I wouldn’t be surprised if Nic Cage said McDowell’s performance in this inspired his approach on Vampire’s Kiss. In contrast, Anthony Quinn’s escape or journey scenes (however you want to describe them) could’ve been from a different movie.  You’ve got a generic score, melodramatic dialogue, and wide shots into the distance showing how much further they have to go. But, here’s the crazy part - I think the jarring tonal shifts sort of work! McDowell is like this larger than life rabid dog chasing his prey.  It’s a game to him and his campy performance reflects that.  But to the Shepard and his human cargo, this is a harrowing experience.  It’s no joke to them!  So it’s like we jump from McDowell’s shoes to the Shepards shoes scene by scene.