Plot: The ever efficient German war machine had little trouble sweeping over Greece, yet some stubborn resistance remained active. Various civilian prisoners were thrown with the officers in Stalag VII-Z, a camp on the site of a Neptune temple under two masters: S.S. Major Volkmann (Anthony Valentine) enjoys the unpleasant ways of brutal Nazi extremism, but the gentleman camp commandant, former dodgy Viennese art merchant Major Otto Hecht (Sir Roger Moore), definitely prefers the finer things in life, regardless of "political correctness". Therefore, the camp, meant to send Berlin archaeological treasures, actually keeps the true treasures for his private black market trade, via Hecht's sister in Switzerland. His "guests", all fortunate to be spared by him the usual harsh treatment of escapees, et cetera, include the brilliant archeology Professor Blake (David Niven), the Italian cook Bruno Rotelli (Sonny Bono), American show-people Charlie (Elliott Gould) and Dottie Del Mar (Stefanie Powers), and even black U.S. P.O.W. Nat Judson (Richard Roundtree). Hecht's hospitality seems poorly rewarded when they mount an elaborate plan to take over the camp, in league with the local Greek resistance leader Zeno (Telly Savalas), who is determined to prevent the arbitrary execution of villagers as reprisal. As they all seem to agree upon a common goal, the priceless art treasures in the monastery on nearby Mount Athena, Hecht is persuaded to join for a cut, but Zeno has a military agenda, as the allied invasion is approaching, and the monastery's mountain is also the cover for a secret German rocket installation.
Alternative Plot: A ragtag group of prisoners -- Italian chef Bruno (Sonny Bono), British archeology professor Blake (David Niven), American soldier Nat (Richard Roundtree) and Greek prostitute Eleana (Claudia Cardinale) -- befriend each other in a Greek POW camp run by Otto Hecht (Roger Moore), an art-loving Nazi officer. With the help of local resistance fighters, the inmates plot to escape and steal valuable artifacts from a heavily guarded monastery that's used as a storehouse.
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