Great Transport

Great Transport (Serbo-Croatian: Veliki transport) is a 1983 Yugoslav action–drama war film directed by Veljko Bulajić.^[2] The film was selected as the Yugoslav entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 56th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.^[3][4] Great Transport stars James Franciscus, Steve Railsback, Robert Vaughn, Helmut Berger, and Edward Albert.^[5]

Great Transport
Original title	Veliki transport
Directed by	Veljko Bulajić
Written by	Donald R. Boyle Arsen Diklić Veljko Bulajić
Produced by	Drasko Redjep (Executive producer) Alan E. Salke (Executive producer) Herbert F. Solow (Executive producer) Srdjan Ilic (Producer) Paul Lichtman (Producer)
Starring	James Franciscus Steve Railsback Robert Vaughn Helmut Berger Edward Albert
Cinematography	Dušan Ninkov
Edited by	Vesna Lažeta
Music by	Miljenko Prohaska Vladimir Kraus-Rajterić
Production company	Lanterna Editrice
Release date	5 July 1983 (1983-07-05)[1]
Running time	126 minutes[1]
Country	Yugoslavia
Language	Serbo-Croatian

Plot

In May 1943, Yugoslav Partisans' HQ in Vojvodina decides to send reinforcements to beleaguered Partisan units in eastern Bosnia. A convoy of more than a thousand volunteers carrying food, clothes and medicine, led by Pavle Paroški, embarks on a dangerous mission. They are joined by Paroški's girlfriend Dunja, doctor Emil Kovač, and British major Mason and his radio operator Danny, who are tasked with establishing the communications with the Partisans.^[1]

Cast

• James Franciscus as John Mason
• Steve Railsback as Pavle Paroški (voiced by Marko Nikolić)
• Robert Vaughn as Dr. Emil Kovač
• Helmut Berger as Colonel Glassendorf
• Edward Albert as Danny
• Joseph Campanella as German Major (voiced by Peter Carsten)
• Bata Zivojinovic as Kosta
• Dragana Varagić as Dunja
• Zvonko Lepetić as Baća
• Ljiljana Blagojević as Dragana
• Tihomir Arsić as Jocika
• Dragomir Felba as Tima
• Dragan Bjelogrlić as Bora
• Dušan Janićijević as Commander Miloš

Release and reception

Great Transport was released in Yugoslavian theatres on 5 July 1983. The film was released on DVD.^[6]

Bulajić's attempt of emulating the epic scope of Battle of Neretva (1969) did not find success with the critics, and was ignored by the audiences, who saw it as an anachronism, particularly in the times of economic adversity in Yugoslavia in the 1980s. Its failure marked the end of an era of epic Yugoslav partisan films.^[1][7]

See also

• List of submissions to the 56th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
• List of Yugoslav submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film

References

1. "Veliki transport". Baza HR kinematografije (in Croatian). Croatian Film Association. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
2. Sandra Brennan (2013). "Veljko Bulajić". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. New York City. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
3. Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
4. "The 56th Academy Awards (1984) Nominees and Winners". Academy Awards. Beverly Hills, California: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Retrieved 19 December 2016.
5. Pavičić 2016, p. 61.
6. "Veliki transport". Delta Video. Sofia: Balkan media. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
7. Pavičić 2016, pp. 61–62.

Sources

• Pavičić, Jurica (2016). "Titoist Cathedrals: The Rise and Fall of Partisan Film". In Ognjenović, Gorana; Jozelić, Jasna (eds.). Titoism, Self-Determination, Nationalism, Cultural Memory: Volume Two, Tito's Yugoslavia, Stories Untold (1st ed.). London: Palgrave Macmillan. doi:10.1057/978-1-137-59747-2. ISBN 978-1-137-59745-8. LCCN 2016944026.

External links

• Great Transport at IMDb