The Great Escape poster & wallpaper

Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough

Drama based on Paul Brickhill''s factual account of the efforts of Allied prisoners to break out of Stalag Luft North during World War II.

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92% liked it

82,482 ratings

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91% liked it

35 critics

Unrated, 2 hrs. 52 min.

Directed by: John Sturges

Release Date: July 4, 1963

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DVD Release Date: March 31, 1998

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Stats: 5,261 reviews

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The Great Escape (1963) Donald Pleasence Steve Mcqueen The Great Escape (1963) David McCallum Steve McQueen Steve McQueen Steve McQueen Gordon Jackson The Great Escape Charles Bronson James Garner Richard Attenborough The Great Escape Richard Attenborough William Russell (Ian Chesterton - Dr Who) Hiltz - Cooler King
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Flixster Reviews (5,261)

  • SirPant
    September 18, 2009
    SirPant
    John Sturges's classic never gets boring. This might be the best of ensemble of actors in the history of film too! Christmas TV wouldn't be the same without it!
  • hypathio7
    June 6, 2009
    hypathio7
    Good adventure, good performances. Well, the American POWs were moved to another camp before the escape through the one tunnel was actually attempted, so the American air force officers in the movie escape were a product of Hollywood. Americans did assist in preparing the three...( read more) tunnels with British, Australian, Dutch, South African, and Polish officers kept at Stalag Luft III. Oh, and there was snow on the ground in reality when the escape happened. The German air force being less Nazi-fied than other devisions also had a slight camaraderie with the Allied air force men, so this provided an interesting element to the story. I particularly liked Garner, Attenborough, Bronson, Pleasence, Coburn, and Lennie. I ended up feeling that the movie would have been more powerful concluding on a tragic note. McQueen shouldn't have been left happily bouncing his baseball in the cooler for yet another week. The movie is fairly suspenseful and entertaining still.
  • PvtCaboose91
    August 26, 2008
    PvtCaboose91
    "I haven't seen Berlin yet, from the ground or from the air, and I plan on doing both before the war is over."


    John Sturges' The Great Escape is debatably the greatest World War II adventure film in cinematic history. Multitudes of film buffs will collectively

    ...( read more) agree that Sturges' classic action/adventure masterpiece is highly deserving of its reputation, everlasting acclaim and endless accolades. Through my eyes, The Great Escape is a rare film that undoubtedly justifies a score exceeding 5/5, 10/10 or 100%.

    In the 21st century, blockbuster action films are characterised as cinematic creations flaunting masses of CGI and an abundance of action. Back in the 1960s, films such as this were the paradigmatic definition of an epic blockbuster. It's also a definitive blueprint of an action/adventure movie. Although many may not realise it, this production certainly is an action film. It's just gruelling to categorise it as such in light of recent action films like Rambo and Face/Off where things are blown to pieces and bullets are frequently dispatched. With The Great Escape it isn't the quantity or regularity of the action, it's the quality. Motorcycle chases, tense escapes and nail-biting foot pursuits are among the film's highlights.

    How does one ascertain that they're watching a great film? Personally, there are two factors that typify a great movie. Firstly, you never get sick of it regardless of how many times you watch it. Secondly, the running time never feels as long as it actually is. The Great Escape clocks as a whopping 170 minutes yet it never feels that long. It's a lengthy saga for sure, but the excellence of the filmmaking and the brisk pacing never permits the audience to feel bored. Although made in 1963 (45 years ago at the time of writing this review), John Sturges' war epic has stood the test of time. While watching the movie, the transfer indicates that it's an old movie. However, the filmmaking is top-notch and every frame is lovingly crafted. Not to mention the high level of authenticity in the period depiction. These factors are rare occurrences in contemporary filmmaking. To be sure, some things have dated and there are a few anachronisms. These insignificant imperfections simply do not matter and can be easily ignored. Why? The filmmaking is masterful, to the point that everything else stands up during close scrutiny. This cinema master class is virtually impossible to match these days, not to mention effectively impossible to top.

    The Great Escape is based on a true story of a truly remarkable and inspiring war tale. It's based on an escape that occurred in March 1944 during which 76 POWs escaped from a German POW camp, Stalag Luft III in Poland. The elaborate preparation and extraordinary implementation of this escape is truly mind-boggling and unbelievable...it must be seen to be believed. The film is primarily based on a novel by a former Australian prison of war, Paul Brickhill. Brickhill helped plan the escape, but due to claustrophobia he did not go through the tunnel. Instead Brickhill recorded detailed accounts of the event, later penning his novel that was then transferred into this engrossing movie.

    The film is introduced with this prerequisite:
    "This is a true story. Although the characters are composites of real men, and time and place have been compressed, every detail of the escape is the way it really happened."


    The film's central characters are an assortment of nationalities. Australian, American, British, etc. The true story didn't include Americans as they were moved to another prison camp. However the filmmakers felt obliged to provide American characters as it would boost the film's popularity with an American audience.
    Basically the Nazis opt to move all their worst prisoners to a single POW camp. In essence, the POWs that have a notorious history of escape attempts are bunched together.

    "We have in effect put all our rotten eggs in one basket. And we intend to watch this basket carefully."


    To the Germans it's the perfect plan, but they don't realise that they've effectively assembled the most efficient and talented escape crew in history. Hence all the POWs spend over a year planning an escape that results in 76 prisoners disappearing into the night. All the prisoners are allocated a job to complete, such as people to build the tunnel, people to forge documents, and even people to assemble outfits for the prisoners to don after their escape.
    The film chronicles the POW camp's inauguration until the eventual execution of the escape, then the following manhunt and subsequent recapture of a majority of the POWs (during the real event, only 3 out of 76 remained at large).

    The events depicted in The Great Escape are significant as it portrays the biggest and most famous escape from a POW camp in history. It also must be noted that the POWs weren't conducting the escape just to get back to their families, as they also aimed to create a diversion for the German army who would utilise their resources during the manhunt while invasions took place.

    The Great Escape is a masterpiece for several reasons. I stated before of its entertainment value, but there are additional features that elevate this into the competition for a perfect movie, primarily the film's authenticity. All costumes and props mirror the period in staggering realism. The film was also lensed in German locations. The extensive POW camp recreation is another thing. It's intricately designed, with credible characters inhabiting it. More importantly, the Nazis are actually humanised. To be sure, no-one ever took Hogan's Heroes seriously with the humour and down-to-earth soldiers. Remove the bumbling antics as well as the humour, and what remains is what we see on the big screen here. Surprisingly, there's a faint camaraderie shared by the Germans and specific POWs. The proceedings are therefore more engrossing and charming.

    Director John Sturges apparently tried to get this film off the ground for 13 years. It was only after he directed The Magnificent Seven that the film finally received the green light. Sturges' determination is obvious as each scene is crafted amazingly. His lens delicately tracks his actors through the convincing sets. There are only very minor technical glitches to be found amongst the otherwise faultless filmmaking. Sturges has the drama balanced with a great blend of subtle humour. Character interactions are filled with witty and fascinating dialogue. The final act of The Great Escape is a masterfully sustained quantity of action and tension as the assorted escapees strive for freedom via train, bicycle, motorbike, row boat and hitchhiking. Sturges brilliantly edits between all their activities and leads us to an inevitable tragedy. This tragic happening sets a new, more foreboding tone before returning to light-hearted humour for the concluding shot.

    "Colonel Von Luger, it is the sworn duty of all officers to try to escape. If they cannot escape, then it is their sworn duty to cause the enemy to use an inordinate number of troops to guard them, and their sworn duty to harass the enemy to the best of their ability."


    Sturges' World War II extravaganza is also blessed with an ideal cast. These actors are of such high calibre that they could never be replaced in a modern age of filmmaking. Steve McQueen is both cool and tough as the suitably cocky and brash American prisoner.
    Richard Attenborough is in an early performance as the co-ordinator of the escape. If one is familiar with Attenborough's subsequent performances, such as Jurassic Park, it's almost impossible to recognise him. Here his acting is absolutely top-notch.
    Charles Bronson is also worth noting for his portrayal of a rugged Polish tunnel king.
    Donald Pleasence is most likely recognised for his performance as Blofeld in the James Bond film You Only Live Twice. Here, Pleasence puts forth a magnificent performance as a forgery expert.
    Beyond these names, the entire supporting cast is sensational. Director Sturges scarcely lets a faulty performance slip through the cracks in spite of a few embarrassingly phoney accents (James Coburn's Aussie number takes a bow).

    Eventually the definitive final element was added during post-production: the music. Composer Elmer Bernstein's famous theme music is instantly recognisable. The Great Escape is perhaps most commonly known for its wonderful theme. It always sets the proper atmosphere. Even during the opening sequence depicting the arrival of POWs, Bernstein's theme hits a defiant note. Bernstein is even dexterous with every other note of music. There are endless segments of music that you'll be humming for days due to how memorable and cheery it is.

    Overall, The Great Escape is a sublime masterpiece of almost unrivalled quality. It's unbelievable that it took me so long to finally watch this movie. Its influence on cinema is profound and obvious. Films such as the animated Chicken Run shamelessly borrow the formula. This is yet another testament to the superiority of this masterpiece. It's a textbook example of a great film: even after numerous decades, almost everything holds up. Additionally, repeated screenings will only further increase your respect for this classic. The great cast, sharp storyline, astute directing, and humour manage to pervade an ultimately tragic tale, simply making this an unmissable film. It's not solely for war movie buffs, but for anyone that appreciates a story depicting the strength and triumph of the human spirit.
  • sononothing
    June 1, 2008
    sononothing
    A true classic with one of the greatest casts ever assembled. The Great Escape is almost a reunion of sorts with John Sturges reuniting Steve McQueen, Jame Coburn, and Charles Bronson from 1960's The Magnificent Seven. Through in James garner, Donald Pleasence, and Richard Attenb...( read more)orough and you get one of thos three hour movies that doesn't feel like a three hour movie.
    The Germans have "put all their bad apples in one basket" by putting all the POW escape artists in one camp. This turns into their downfall because you have people who are practically professional escape artists all together in one spot and their ingenuity leads them to commit "the great escape".
    With a cast like this you can't complain about the acting. The standout in the film is Charles Bronson, who plays the "tunnel king". Sturges directs the action confidently and the tension even on repeated viewings is almost unbearable.
    As I said, this is one of those rare three hour movies that doesn't feel like three hours. You're clamoring for more when the credits start to role.
  • 76Majikat
    May 15, 2008
    76Majikat
    One of the great classics and yet, this is the first time I have watched it. I certainly wasn't disappointed, in fact I was very impressed by the clever way in which the escape was plotted and I had been totally unaware that this film was based on a true story.
  • Yelverton
    November 20, 2009
    Yelverton
    Great film, about the greatest mass escape in WWII.
  • mihaha
    November 18, 2009
    mihaha
    3h that kept me watching and watching. and steve mcqueen is great!
  • shinningstar3
    November 2, 2009
    shinningstar3
    ok ppl say its rlly gd but im not rlly into stuff lke this
  • somebody421
    October 29, 2009
    somebody421
    A light, Hollywoodized rendition of a POW camp, nevertheless I'm sucker for escape movies...and Steve McQueen.
  • harret1972
    October 24, 2009
    harret1972
    One of the films that needs to be seen by all children before they are spotty arrogant too cool for school dweebs. As they wouldn't touch it with a barge pole otherwise, and they should experience the wonder of it. It's a film which makes me smile just thinking about it. I'm not ...( read more)sure if it's the fact it reminds me of my own childhood and Christmas or the soundtrack superb acting and cinematography...?

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The Great Escape Trivia

  • What Was Steve Mcqueen's Nickname in "The Great Escape."?  Answer »
  • What is the name of the classic film where Steve McQueen steals and later rides a German motorcycle to freedom, but doesn't make the jump over the second fence?  Answer »
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  • Identify the film from the quote: "Tea without milk is so uncivilized."  Answer »
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