Situation Hopeless... But Not Serious

Situation Hopeless... But Not Serious
Directed by	Gottfried Reinhardt
Written by	Robert Shaw (novel) Jan Lustig Silvia Reinhardt
Produced by	Gottfried Reinhardt
Starring	Alec Guinness Mike Connors Robert Redford Paul Dahlke
Cinematography	Kurt Hasse
Edited by	Walter Boos
Music by	Harold Byrne Leon Carr
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date	October 13, 1965 (1965-10-13)
Running time	97 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Situation Hopeless... But Not Serious is a 1965 comedy film directed by Gottfried Reinhardt and starring Alec Guinness, Mike Connors and Robert Redford. It is based on the novel The Hiding Place by Robert Shaw.

The title is a variation of an old Viennese saying; "The situation is desperate but not serious."

Plot

In World War II, two American fliers, Captain Hank Wilson and Sergeant Lucky Finder, are forced to bail out over Germany. They encounter Wilhelm Frick, who hides them from the authorities in his cellar. He enjoys their company so much that he does not inform them when the war ends. Instead, he maintains a masquerade to convince his "guests" that Germany is still fighting. Eventually, after seven years, they escape into a peaceful West Germany and find out the truth.

Cast

• Alec Guinness as Wilhelm Frick
• Mike Connors as Sgt. Lucky Finder
• Robert Redford as Captain Hank Wilson
• Paul Dahlke as Herr Neusel
• Frank Wolff as Quartermaster Sergeant
• Anita Höfer as Edeltraud
• Mady Rahl as Lissie
• Elisabeth von Molo as Wanda
• John Briley as Sergeant (uncredited)
• Carola Regnier as Senta (uncredited)

See also

• List of American films of 1965
• Wake Me When the War Is Over, a 1969 TV film with a similar plot

External links

• Situation Hopeless... But Not Serious at IMDb
• Situation Hopeless... But Not Serious at the TCM Movie Database