Ace of Aces

In 1916, during World War I, German ace Gunther von Beckman and French ace Jo Cavalier shoot each other down and trade barbed words over who will prisoner the other. A sudden artillery barrage traps them, forcing them to work together to survive. The conflict gives way to a grudging partnership born from shared danger.

In a humorous WWI aside, Corporal Adolf Hitler is berated by his frustrated First Lieutenant Rosenblum for clumsiness. The moment underscores the looming rise of Hitler and Rosenblum's tough authority, even as the war rages around them. The scene provides a sardonic foreshadowing of history to come.

In 1936, Jo Cavalier and his boxing team travel to Germany to participate in the Olympic Games in Berlin. The journey sets the stage for new encounters and old loyalties to collide. The era's political tension begins to braid into Jo's personal choices.

On the way to Berlin, Jo meets Simon Rosenblum, the grandson of the late First Lieutenant Rosenblum, and a reporter named Gaby Delcourt who is to interview Hitler. The unlikely trio becomes entwined in a larger web of history and danger. Jo's idolization of his WWI days is challenged by the realities he will face.

Simon's grandfather's bookstore is raided by Gestapo agents, prompting Jo to smuggle the Rosenblums to safety. The family pleads for protection, and Jo ferries them to his team's hotel, effectively offering asylum amid mounting peril. The act cements Jo's conflicting duties to Gaby, Simon, and his teammates.

The following morning, Jo reconnects with his old comrade Gunther, now a Luftwaffe general, and convinces him to lend his car to the Rosenblums so they can flee toward Austria. Jo's quick talking turns a tense reunion into a rescue mission. The alliance with Gunther complicates Jo's loyalties even further.

The Rosenblums push forward toward Austria but a critical blunder leads to their capture, with only Simon managing to escape and contact Jo. Jo resolves to retrieve them at once, knowing time is running out. The situation tightens as authorities close in.

Jo and Simon are driven from a forest camp by a bear they nickname Beethoven, adding a surreal and humorous moment to their perilous flight. The unlikely animal ally lightens the mood amid the escalating danger. The episode becomes a memorable oddity in their pursuit.

Despite the danger, Jo refuses to abandon the Rosenblums and presses toward the Austrian border, with Gunther reluctantly aiding the escape. Jo's decision to go rogue marks him as a fugitive in the eyes of the pursuing authorities. The trio's odds grow bleaker as they slip deeper into enemy territory.

A misdirected journey lands the group at Hitler's Berghof on the Obersalzberg, where they are mistaken for guests and taken in by Angela Hitler. The Berghof becomes a trap and a staging ground for the final escape plan. The absurd twist heightens the film's mix of humor and peril.

Jo discovers Hitler in person during the Olympic boxing finals broadcast from the Berghof and dons an officer's uniform to reveal himself. He and Gunther devise a plan to rescue the Rosenblums by stealing Hitler's personal car. The operation hinges on deception, timing, and risky bravado.

Gunther agrees to create a diversion with Angela Hitler, while Jo implements the plan to steal Hitler's car and free the Rosenblums. The duo's unlikely alliance underscores the film's theme of unlikely friendships shaping fate. The stage is set for a high-stakes escape.

A tense car chase erupts as Jo, the Rosenblums, and Gaby race toward Austria in one car, pursued by Hitler's escorts in another. Hitler is startled by this unexpected reunion of old subordinates and crashes his car into a duck pond. Jo and his companions slip away, Beethoven reappearing as they cross into safety in Austria.