This isn't really a laugh-a-minute comedy, or one that relies on a whole lot of logic (like some of the things in the last scenes), but I've always thought of it as a very good "Odd Couple" kind of story (the opening narration even uses that expression). And each of the actors fits so well into his part- Redford as the refined character who somehow adapts to the basement in no time, Connors as the down-to-earth character who's always trying to escape, and of course Guinness. There have been countless comical eccentric Germans, but trust that actor to come up with one who's pretty much unlike any other. And of course there's Frick's idea that they're all three destined to be together (because of his mother's horoscope and other things), and the way his telling them "the big announcement" keeps being prevented. Another odd thing is that there's never an actual scene of them finding out (it all happens gradually), though I could have stood to see a scene like that. Also, I don't usually like those spontaneous fistfight scenes that used to be so common in comedies, but this movie has one that genuinely works - I don't mean the later one, but the one where Finder finally gets fed up with Wilson's casual attitude towards trying to escape, which is a very funny scene. Also, even though it wasn't a romantic comedy, it had a great line that would be just right for one - in one scene, Finder is feeling especially grim about being a prisoner, and Frick tells him in a well-meaning way that he should try to be "philosophical" about it, which Finder ignores. When Frick offers to do anything to cheer him up, Finder tells him excitedly that he can find him a girl, make some arrangement with her and bring her back to the house. Frick says, "But I thought you were MARRIED, sergeant." Wilson says, "Well, MARRIAGE is something the sergeant IS willing to be philosophical about."
Review of Situation Hopeless -- But Not Serious
