Genres

Visitors Review

studio-55 2013-05-17 19:07:23

a great film from my early childhood

I must have seen this as a young child in the 70's and as an adult Ihave searched many times for this film, not knowing it's name. I'vespent hours pouring over lists of movies, from 'war' to 'ghost'categories and maybe never found it as it was made for TV. i wouldnever have guessed it wasn't a cinema release such was it's impact.I found it funnily enough by looking up 'sole survivor' the name of abook on a little boy who strangely enough is the reincarnated sole of asecond world war pilot (check out his story, his name is JamesLeiningerand they are making his story into a film)This 1970 film is excellent and left a deep impression on me, the finalscenes in particular. I'd love to get hold of a copy as I only saw itonce over 30 years ago. The details of the plot in my mind are prettysketchy now but the mood and drama of it created a very strongimpression on me.

the_lone_haranguer 2013-05-17 10:33:26

...about 33 years ago

I saw this film on tv, and thought it was really cool. It was onaboutthe same time as 'Death Race'(not death race 2000) with Doug McClure,another cool and forgotten World War II movie. It is a shame that thismovie fell under the radar screen. I really enjoyed it, and thesupernatural twist. It could be re-made relatively cheaply, but I wishtheywould just re-release it. For what it's worth, I give it a 9.0 rating inmemory. Thanks for sharing a memory.

arogers5 2013-04-26 05:12:20

Perhaps it will entice someone else to see it.

It's the kind of movie that you never forget. I am not sure exactly thefirst time i saw it, but was in my teens. I have come across it maybe 4times since then. The last time about 15 years ago. I am tryingdesperately to get a copy of it. It says a lot about a movie when thewhole thing is filmed in one spot and you don't even realize it. Thecharacters could not have been better. I think the overall meaning isdifferent for everyone. I had this feeling of deep sadness for themwhen i realized they were all dead. But on the other hand they allwanted so much to be found that you hoped that they would be found. Iloved the struggle to find the last one, it made for a desperateending. I bet I would find something new in it if i saw it again nowafter all these years. I finally found a copy of the movie !!! Its justas good as i remember.

Robert Anderson 2013-04-25 23:42:10

Sole Survivor...

Its strange to read some of the comments above, we all seem to have thesame story about this movie, the fact that we all saw it so long ago,for me over 20 years, and searched for the title and finally findingthe movie, and enjoying it all over again...its strange how a film cantouch so many people in the same way. I have seen thousands of moviesin the past but have never had a film touch me and make me search solong to see it again. I actually sat with my children to watch themovie, and they seem to enjoy it, but who knows they be the nexttravellers on the quest.... I'm just glad that I have finally come tothe end of the journey, and was able to purchase a copy of this filmfrom Ebay...thank god for Ebay and the Internet, Or who knows how longthe journey would have lasted....

engstfeld 2013-04-05 19:09:13

Perhaps the best movie I've ever seen...

Unlike most of you, I saw this movie ten years ago on cable while in grad school. I missed the first 15-20 minutes of it and myroommate went to bed and missed the final 20 minutes or so. Boydid he miss a great conclusion and an appreciation for the movie. Now like the rest of you, I will say that this was one of the bestmovies I've ever seen....truly poignant and before its time. I alsolament the fact that it cannot be found on video...and I do a searchfor it about every 3 months in hopes that it will be released. Fromthe sounds of it, we've all had the same luck. Perhaps somedaysomeone will get a clue and put it out there for us.......For those of you who haven't seen it, odds are you won't be able tounless you luck up on it, like I did, purely out of coincidence. Thetale is similar to the real fate of the crew of the LADY BE GOOD. Aplane crashes in the African desert and try to survive the best theycan. To really tell much of the movie would be to ruin it for anyonewho hasn't seen it, but I will say that it has an eerie ending similarto that of "The Sixth Sense."

jmdevetski 2013-04-05 06:52:39

unforgettable--30 years later

I don't even know why I went looking for this movie 30 years after theonlytime I saw it. I can't believe I recall its name. But I agree with theother posts I've read about the movie--I just can't forget it. It isunsettling. I was 10 when I saw it, and it scared the heck out of me. Isure would like to see it again.

scott99dak 2013-03-21 23:04:35

It's been over twenty years since I've seen this movie!

Just thinking about it sends chills up my spine. I was very young when Ifirst heard the story of the "Lady Be Good" and when this movie came out, Ithink it was the late 60's early 70's, I had to see it!! I've beeninterested in Aircraft Archaeology for a quite a while. When I was in theUSAF I spent a few gruesome trips on crash recovery. It was intriguing, yetfrightening! I vaguely remember a part of the movie when, shortly after thecrash, one of the crew members was sitting under the tail section of theaircraft and then the scene cuts to his ghost arriving and seeing clothingand bones trapped underneath the collapsed tail section. He didn't evenknow he was dead!! That sent chills when I first saw it!! Can anyone tellme where or how to see or get this movie??

nhba22245 2013-03-21 17:20:53

There is a God out there!

I just wanted everyone to know that this movie (apart from being such amemorable event to watch) has also had me trying to chase it down for moretime than I care to remember. THE GOOD NEWS is that if anyone now goes tothe 'Message Board' area of these 'Sole Survivor' reference details, thereis a great guy called Ray who has the film for sale!So bless him for tracking it down, and I hope this helps others who havebeen trying to do the same!

garycarnevale 2013-03-19 07:07:51

video PLEASE

Have loved sole surviver for thirty years,haven,t seen itinabout twenty years WHY won,t "the powers that be" releasethismovie on video.It is a true gem

Pegapus 2013-03-18 17:34:13

A haunting film long after viewing

Considering how long ago I saw this film, it still remains in my memoryas special. The story focuses on an investigation of a downed plane inthe desert, which is thought to be a plane from World War II that wasnot supposed to be over land when it crashed.When the plane went down, it was supposed to be over the ocean, andonly one crew member escaped from that accident--a man who is now ageneral, and is on that identifying mission to determine if it was hisformer assignment. The general, played by Richard Basehart, embodies alot of conflicting emotions, some of which are ambiguously depicteduntil all is made clear toward the end of the film.The thrust of the film centers on the former plane crew members, nowseen as ghosts who hang around the wreck, wondering when they will bediscovered, and their bodies found. After so many years as ghosts,hanging around such a limited terrain, they have become cynical anddiscouraged. It is only when the team arrives to survey the wreck andthe surroundings that they gain some hope that the truth will bediscovered, and that they will no longer have to stay with the planefor eternity. When they find their former teammate part of theinvestigation team, and now a general, they feel that they have beenlet down, and that the lies told by the now general will threaten theirhopes of getting out of the desert hell they have been stuck in for fartoo many years. They discover, too, that it was the general's lieswhich has kept them from being discovered sooner.Performances by all involved are great, and your sympathy for thedoomed crew members grows with the film. Richard Basehart does anexcellent job as the haunted crew member whose lies enhanced his ownstatus, but whose conscience has never been clear since the accident somany years ago. William Shatner's character is a bit over the top, butVince Edwards acts as a stabilizing presence, and whose respect for thehistory of the plane lends compassion to the fate of those who died inthe wreckage. It is through his presence that much of the humanity inthe film is made clear and kept constant.As an aside: both William Shatner and Richard Basehart worked togetheron another venture around the same time as this film, The AndersonvilleTrial, directed by George C. Scott, which won an Emmy. If you areinterested in seeing both in another setting, where Shatner reallyshows his very real acting ability, you should consider seeing thatpresentation as well.

matt-pope 2013-03-14 17:42:51

Haunting

This movie had a profound effect on me as a child. I found it fascinating and haunting in equal measure.I was about 5 at the time and it genuinely scared me, the idea of beingtrapped in limbo like that, potentially forever was truly horrifying.In fact watching this B-movie first provoked me into thinking seriouslyabout my own mortality.I'm now and archaeologist and can't help thinking this film was one ofthe influences that steered me in that direction.Ps. Have just seen the Lost series finale, when I saw the first episodeof Lost six years ago I immediately thought of Sole Survivor.

gregg-26 2013-03-14 09:57:46

Loose adaptation of true story, B-24 "Lady Be Good"

This story seems to be based on a true story.The aircraft in this movie is called "The Home-run."The real aircraft is a B-24, named the "Lady Be Good."Without the sci-fi, the story is very similar.God Bless the real crew of the LBG!

dean-re 2013-02-15 01:07:05

Still good

Like everyone else who has left reviews regarding Sole Survivor, I sawthis made for TV film when I was a kid and it stuck with me. It is very hard to find a copy, however when you do it's still muchbetter then half the stuff that they do release so its surprising thatit's been almost forgotten. I think this needs the special addition DVDtreatment, but I also believe it would be great material for a remake.In conclusion, yes it's still very good however its not quite as goodas I remembered. I guess that comes with viewing it through older eye'sHowever anything that stays with you for 30 yrs has done somethingright.The ending is still good

jamisonroberts 2013-02-14 18:28:38

Add me to the list

Add me to the list of people that saw this movie as a kid only to haveit stick with them 20 or 30 years later.As for myself, I don't precisely remember when I saw it, however due tomy age (born in '74), I'd guess that 1982-1985 would be when I saw it.I specifically remember the "guys" figuring out they were ghosts.That's about all I remember. I don't think I ever even saw the ending.I can't really rate it for that reason, however I'm going to try andtrack a copy down and so I can do my memory justice.Reading all these comments leads me to believe that whoever owns therights to this movie is not quite on the ball. I honestly don't recallany other movie I might have seen around the time I saw this, and Icertainly don't remember ones I may have seen before.

karaokelover249 2013-01-21 01:23:02

sole survivor

FINALLY I have found the movie I was looking for. I could not rememberthe name of this movie until now thank you i remember the whole moviealmost but I could not remember the name until I saw it. I thought itwas one of the most moving and really good movie I remember the starsin it It was by accident I found you guys.and for anyone who wants tobuy a copy of it they are selling it on ebay. If anyone else knows ofanywhere else to get it let us know. I thought that the acting fromRichard Basehart and Vince Edwards and William Shantner was excellentand the guys who were the ghost did an excellent job as well it waswell written and well acted by all very good direction and specialeffects. The whole entire movie had everything right. it is good whenthe whole crew and the actors come together and make such a good movieI thought the story line was excellent of course Dean Knootz is anexcellent writer.

dug_nichols 2013-01-20 17:50:34

A Gem from the Silver Screen

Time and my fading memory is probably too generous - but what I recallof this story is its uniqueness and crafty written twists and turns.The long drag into the realization that these airmen were never goingto interact with anyone else alive again was well done. The mystery andsuspense was well done. All this was great...but the heart-wrenchingending was just too good. The crew could never be 100 percent togetherin life - but would be joined in death. Spectacular story that I hopeHollywood leaves alone. I do hope this does come out in DVD. And I dohope this is not redone - especially in a more modern format. The castin this movie cannot be topped...these people were true to their craftas opposed to some phony political agenda that they have no clue about.

2013-01-20 16:40:21

I only saw this once as a kid, but never forgot it.

Sole Survivor(1970) had a special gentle reverence forthehuman spirit. Another similar great flick, "Flight of the Phoenix," turnedon a phantasy of hope in human intellect and ingenuity, imagination andpragmatic engineering,(not far from a -- "hey, let's put on a play and savethe neighborhood!" mentality), whereas Sole Survivor was one of soberingcourage, humility and grief, of our real limits as human beings, of thetruth that one day we all have to die and what that deeper understandingcanmean to those who live on. So,though "Phoenix" is a great classic, aspecialplace in my heart is reserved for "Survivor." See the web page on the truestory

sutter.cane 2013-01-20 07:44:44

Eerie loose fictional version of "Lady Be Good" incident

Effective TV movie of the week about the crew of an airplane downed in thedesert waiting for help to arrive. A twist to the plot occurs somewhatbefore the end, but the pay-off is still powerful. The very end hasremained with me for many years.

2012-12-25 07:16:27

Amazing how this little-noticed TV film continues to resonate 30 years later

I agree completely with the others here who can't forget this film. Madefor TV in 1969, never released on video, probably last seen by some 30years ago, and almost never mentioned in any movie guide -- you'd think itwould long ago have been consigned to the rubbish heap of TV history. Butit won't be, because it was simply such a powerful story, excellentlyportrayed and well acted. Indeed, with the current boom in everythingpertaining to WWII, the timing is perfect for whoever owns the film torelease it on video, or to a cable network who will give it some air time.I remember very clearly seeing it when it came on in 1969...and I'm prettysure I saw it again a year or so later. This sounds strange, I know, butI'll bet a month doesn't go by that I don't think about the movie for atleast a moment -- it was that good. And if you ever read about the B-24"Lady Be Good" or see the LBG exhibit at the US Air Force Museum, you'lldefinitely think about this film a long time.To the studio who owns this film: BRING THIS ONE OUT OF THEVAULT!!

jonmurdock 2012-12-24 18:00:51

My story is the same

...as countless others who have searched and searched for thetitle of thisamazing movie and found it today!As with many others, I saw the film one time as a child and it's imageshavebranded themselves to my mind. I want to thank Deejay over at alt.moviesforgiving me the title! I have been periodically doing Internet searches foryears and came up with nothing! I didn't know when it was made or whostarred in it.Thank you all who have submitted comments here, I have read them all andfound them very interesting! This revelation today is actually the mostbizarre experience I have had in quite some time as I (like another personhere) had begun to think I had just thought the movie up and that itreallydid not exist. Obviously, SOLE SURVIVOR must be one of the greatest moviesof all time as it has had such an impact on so many people for so manyyearsafter only one viewing!