Situation Hopeless — But Not Serious (1965): Cast & Plot
Situation Hopeless — But Not Serious is a 1965 war comedy directed by Gottfried Reinhardt, starring Alec Guinness as Wilhelm Frick, Robert Redford and Mike Connors. It runs 1 hour 37 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 37m (97 min)
- Director
- Gottfried Reinhardt
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Paramount Pictures
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Situation Hopeless — But Not Serious About?
The premise of Situation Hopeless — But Not Serious without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A lonely German clerk continues to hold two downed American flyers captive in his basement, refusing to accept that World War II is over. The film follows the far‑cical attempts of the prisoners to escape and of the clerk to keep his secret, blending dark humor with wartime absurdity. Directed by Gottfried Reinhardt, the 1965 comedy features performances by Alec Guinness, Robert Redford and Michael Connors.
Situation Hopeless — But Not Serious Themes & Keywords
· 13 tags- captive
- world war two
- based on novel
- american
- past
- prisoner of war
- pilot
- new world
- mistaken motives
- friendless
- army air corps
- alternate reality
+1 more Show fewer
- independent film
Situation Hopeless — But Not Serious Cast & Characters
Alec Guinness leads the cast as Wilhelm Frick, with Robert Redford as Captain Hank Wilson and Mike Connors as Sgt. Lucky Finder. Directed by Gottfried Reinhardt; 10 actors are credited in all.
- Director Gottfried Reinhardt
-
Alec Guinness as Wilhelm Frick -
Robert Redford as Captain Hank Wilson - Mike Connors as Sgt. Lucky Finder
- Paul Dahlke as Herr Neusel
Also Starring in Situation Hopeless — But Not Serious
· 6 more- Mady Rahl Lissie
- Elisabeth von Molo Wanda
- Frank Wolff Quartermaster Sergeant
- Carola Regnier Senta (uncredited)
- Anita Höfer Edeltraud
- John Briley Sergeant (uncredited)
Situation Hopeless — But Not Serious Plot Summary
What happens in Situation Hopeless — But Not Serious from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Captain Hank Wilson and Sgt. Lucky Finder crash-land over Germany on 27 November 1944 and touch down in the sleepy town of Altheim, where the fateful day foretold by Wilhelm Frick begins to unfold. Frick, who reads his horoscope with a twinkle of curiosity, senses that something out of the ordinary is about to happen. The two fliers seek shelter in his cellar, initially discovered by Frick who contemplates turning them over to the authorities; however, when one of them claims German roots, warmth replaces suspicion, and they all start singing German songs together. Frick resolves to shield them from the authorities, opting to hide them rather than betray them.
Full summary
The whole story of Situation Hopeless — But Not Serious, scene by scene
How Well Do You Know Situation Hopeless — But Not Serious?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What are the names of the two American pilots who crash‑land in Germany?
Situation Hopeless — But Not Serious Also Known As
6 alternative titles, including “Situazione disperata ma non seria” and “Lage hoffnungslos – aber nicht ernst”.
- Also known as
-
- Situazione disperata ma non seria
- Lage hoffnungslos – aber nicht ernst
- A helyzet reménytelen, de komolytalan, situação Crítica
- Porém Jeitosa
- Situace je zoufalá, nikoliv však vážná
- Sytuacja beznadziejna... ale niezbyt poważna
Seen Situation Hopeless — But Not Serious?
Movies Like Situation Hopeless — But Not Serious
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Wake Me When the War Is Over, Captured! and One of Our Aircraft Is Missing.
-
Wake Me When the War Is Over 1969 -
Captured! 1933 -
One of Our Aircraft Is Missing 1942 -
Resisting Enemy Interrogation 1944 -
Desperate Journey 1942 -
Don’t Look Now… We’re Being Shot At! 1966 -
Idiot’s Delight 1939 -
Verboten! 1959 -
Escape to Victory 1981 -
The Captive Heart 1946 -
Stalag Luft 1993 -
It Happened Here 1964
Situation Hopeless — But Not Serious FAQ: Cast & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of Situation Hopeless — But Not Serious, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Situation Hopeless — But Not Serious?
Situation Hopeless — But Not Serious runs 1 hour 37 minutes (97 minutes).
When was Situation Hopeless — But Not Serious released?
Situation Hopeless — But Not Serious was released on October 13, 1965.
Who directed Situation Hopeless — But Not Serious?
Situation Hopeless — But Not Serious was directed by Gottfried Reinhardt.
More films by Gottfried Reinhardt Who is in the cast of Situation Hopeless — But Not Serious?
Situation Hopeless — But Not Serious stars Alec Guinness as Wilhelm Frick, Robert Redford as Captain Hank Wilson and Mike Connors as Sgt. Lucky Finder, among 10 credited actors.
Does Situation Hopeless — But Not Serious have a post-credit scene?
No. Situation Hopeless — But Not Serious has no extra scene during or after the credits.
Coming soon to your phone
The Plot Explained Movie Summary App
From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.
Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app
