... Released in 1963, The Great Escape was one of the most successful blockbusters of its day and consolidated Steve McQueen's status as a film legend.
The story begins with the arrival of these Allied P.O.W.s at a newly constructed high-security camp. There, the German commandant informs ... Read review
In 1943 the Germans opened Stalag Luft North a maximum-security prisoner-of-war camp ... more
designed to hold even the craftiest escape artist. In doing so however the Nazis unwittingly assembled the finest escape team in military history – brillia...
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One of the most famous true stories from the last war The GREAT ESCAPE tells how more ... more
than six hundred men in a German prisoner-of-war camp worked together to achieve an extraordinary break-out. Every night for a year they dug tunnels and those who weren't digging forged passports drew maps faked weapons and tailored German uniforms and civilian clothes to wear once they had escaped. All of this was conducted under the very noses of their prison guards. When the right night came the actual escape itself was timed to the split second - but of course not everything went according to plan...
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Production Year: 1970 - War - Director: Brian G. Hutton - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring: Clint Eastwood, Telly Savalas, Carroll O'Connor, Donald Sutherland, Don Rickles, Gavin MacLeod
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Undoubtedly one of the most entertaining war movies ever made, this is based on the true story of 76 Allied soldiers who managed to escape from a German P.O.W. camp in 1942. Released in 1963, The Great Escape was one of the most successful blockbusters of its day and consolidated Steve McQueen's status as a film legend.
The story begins with the arrival of these Allied P.O.W.s at a newly constructed high-security camp. There, the ... ...co-operate with their captors until the war is over. Of course, they have absolutely no intention of doing so. Indeed, no sooner have they arrived than some of the more daring among them are trying to break out. It seems the Germans have rather foolishly incarcerated the best escape artists together in one place so what could they have expected? So, led by the determined squadron leader Bartlett, alias Big X (Richard Attenborough), we now have a ... more
Undoubtedly one of the most entertaining war movies ever made, this is based on the true story of 76 Allied soldiers who managed to escape from a German P.O.W. camp in 1942. Released in 1963, The Great Escape was one of the most successful blockbusters of its day and consolidated Steve McQueen's status as a film legend.
The story begins with the arrival of these Allied P.O.W.s at a newly constructed high-security camp. There, the German commandant informs them that their attempts at escape will prove futile and that they should co-operate with their captors until the war is over. Of course, they have absolutely no intention of doing so. Indeed, no sooner have they arrived than some of the more daring among them are trying to break out. It seems the Germans have rather foolishly incarcerated the best escape artists together in one place so what could they have expected? So, led by the determined squadron leader Bartlett, alias Big X (Richard Attenborough), we now have a veritable rogue's gallery of soldiers all doing their bit for the effort. It's these characters and their inventive escapades that make the movie as enjoyable as it is.
Schemers like Hendley, the scrounger (James Garner), who can provide the men with whatever is needed, even blackmailing some of the more susceptible Nazi guards. Then, there's Danny, the tunnel king (Charles Bronson), who has already dug his way out of sixteen tunnels; Sedgwick, the manufacturer (James Coburn); and Ashley-Pitt (David McCallum), who is charged with dispersing the vast amounts of dirt accumulated in digging out the tunnels. Others include Cavendish (Nigel Stock), whose job it is to keep the enemy distracted while the work is being done; MacDonald (Gordon Jackson), who has to know everything that goes on in the camp as Intelligence officer and Blythe, the forger (a very poignant performance by Donald Pleasence), who has to provide fake passports and travel documents for the men, not an easy task when it is revealed that he is going blind. You've also got a couple of scallywags like Ives (Angus Lennie) and of course, Hilts (the inimitable McQueen), who are glad to help out when they are not spending most of their time in the cooler!
If you are expecting a serious, hard-hitting drama about World War II and the P.O.W. experience, you'll have to look elsewhere. This is first and foremost a Boy's Own style adventure, with plenty of light-hearted moments to keep the audience entertained. It's hard to think of another film so bursting with memorable scenes, whether it's McQueen on his motorcycle, Donald Pleasence picking up a pin (see the movie and you'll understand), Gordon Jackson's fatal slip-up at the bus stop, Garner heroically taking Pleasence with him when they escape, the tunnel scenes, the tension of the escape sequence itself - just the sheer enjoyment of watching these guys carry out their incredible plan. However, that's not to say the movie denies the tragedy behind the real-life story of the escape. Indeed, as the film enters its final stages, some heart-breaking events transpire to remind the viewer of the human cost of such an endeavour. Nevertheless, this is essentially a hopeful film designed to give your flagging spirits a boost, and serves as an old-fashioned reminder of true heroism in a time of great tragedy.
The performances from an all-star cast are terrific, especially McQueen, Attenborough and Pleasence, although Coburn's Australian accent is dodgy, to say the least. Some have complained that the movie is overlong, but I think director John Sturges gets the pace just right, enabling us to engage with the story and fully appreciate the effort involved in such a risky undertaking. I have to say I have watched this movie on countless occasions and the time always seems to fly by. Credit must also go to composer Elmer Bernstein for creating one of the most memorable and stirringly heroic music scores ever. For first-class, cheer-the-heroes entertainment, this is the best you are ever likely to see.
...how does it relate to The great Escape)? When I asked Mrs TheNeil what she fancied watching, she quite surprisingly opted for The Great Escape. Huh? "But surely dear you mean Grease or some such other twaddle?". No, she was adamant, The Great Escape. Ok then dear, you know best (she's scary when she picks the bread knife up so she tends to get her own way) and anyway, it had been a while since we'd spun this particular DVD.
With German forces stretched, ... ...that is escape proof. Immediately the inmates try escape attempt after escape attempt but it seems that the Nazi's might actually have managed to achieve the impossible and build an escape proof prison. With the arrival of chief escape officer Bartlett (Big X), the escape attempts are focused into one channel - A vast tunnel. Hoping to free 250 men in one go, the 'experts' set to work, tunneling, forging, scrounging, and preparing everything for ...
TheNeil 31.07.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Great Escape (DVD)
I feel mildly guilty. The other week I was composing my top 10 list of films and The Great Escape despite being an absolutely cracking film missed out on inclusion. So to assuage my conscience I'm gonna devote a whole opinion to saying how great it is. And it isn't difficult because this is a truly brilliant film for a whole variety of reasons. But before I go into them just for anyone who's here by accident and has never heard of the Great Escape ... ...- 250 through three tunnels. The first half of the film sets up all of the characters and details of the planning etc. Then the escape happens and despite a cock-up 76 get away. And in case you haven't seen the film I won't entirely spoil the ending by telling you what happens to them then. Instead I'll expand on why this film is so superb:
1. Acting
This film had a truly all-star cast: Richard Attenborough as Sqd Ldr Bartlett the architect of ...
Sweep1 18.05.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Great Escape (DVD)
Advantages: Great cast, great score...Great Escape! Disadvantages: We all know what's going to happen. After all, we've seen it 478 times.
After the harsh realities of combat inflicted on us by the likes of 'Saving Private Ryan', it's sometimes nice to settle back into a different era of war movies. Back when 'The Great Escape' was made, it didn't matter if the movie took a few liberties were taken with the story - as long as it was told in a manner that pleased us, then so be it.
So it's nice to see a bunch of Allied heroes running circles around benign prison guards. Reassuring to ... ...again.
Some genius in the Nazi Prison Department comes up with the wise idea of putting all the most troublesome allied escapologists in one camp. They then provide them with all the stationary they need to make maps and forge documents, and plenty of gardening tools to steal and dig tunnels with. Not only that, the Germans decide to staff the camp with the most inept security guards this side of 'Hogan's Heroes'.
So realism isn't a factor. But ...
Plissken 07.09.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Great Escape (DVD)
THE GREAT ESCAPE.
***************************
~Introduction~
****************
T his movie is based on a book by Paul Brickhill, who was actually in the camp in March 1944
Shown every Christmas and some would argue it wouldn't be Christmas without it being on telly. It is the story of British and American POWs escaping from their prison camp.
The Movie.
*************
Set during the Second World War, the Germans decide to build Stalag Luft ... ...one basket'. Sick of chasing the best escape artistes, the German high command decide to put them all together where they can ALL be watched. The camp is said to be escape proof.
We follow the ups and downs of the prisoners as they plot to escape the 'Perfect' prison. You see the ingenuity of making tools, provisions and even uniforms almost literally from nothing.
We see the tactics used, such as blackmailing guards to get what they want. Played ...
Maximus-Qualitus 24.12.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Great Escape (DVD)
Advantages: Good escapist stuff Disadvantages: None
...actually took place in the German prisoner of war camp Stalag III.
(There were times when we called our school Stalag because of the harsh regime but that's got nothing to do with the Great Escape. But we did have our own tunnel.)
Dramatised for effect as most of these films based on reality are, this is a tale of the "English" spirit in adversity. The fact that there were also Yanks, Poles, French, Russians etc. only marginally detracted from ... ...in POW camps by the senior officers in the film it was also maintained that way in reality. Never let it be said that an Englishman doesn't know his place. Never let it be said that an upper crust Englishman doesn't make sure that we are kept in our place whatever the situation.
Stalag III was a camp were escapees from other camps were sent to after being re-captured, so in effect the Germans put into one place all the escaping experts of the war. ...
jimbuck 18.12.2000
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Advantages: Some interesting additional material Disadvantages: None Really
with Jones and follows his life from the cavalry through flight school, to being part of the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo, his subsequent capture and imprisonment by the Nazis to his post war career which ended at Nasa as part of the Apollo projects.
In addition to these documentaries the second disk also includes the original theatrical trailer and a file of still photographs from the making of the film. These are for the real GreatEscape buffs and held little interest for me.
Overall
As this Special Edition DVD is currently available from Play.com at £6.99 I would certainly it consider worthwhile if you are looking to add The GreatEscape to your DVD collection or to purchase the film for the fan in your family (there is always at least one). The documentaries are interesting, especially for those with an interest in history, and not ...
Advantages: Everything, seeing Steve McQueen lots is a bonus =] Disadvantages: none!
After seeing parts of this movie but never the whole film, I decided to buy it on DVD. I bought it as part of a 'Great Films Starring Steve McQueen' box set.
What an investment!
Produced in 1963, this DVD is based on a true story of a group of Allied P.O.W's who planned an escape from an 'escape proof' camp. This was the largest planned Allied escape attempt from a German POW camp.
This film features some famous names such as:
Steve McQueen
James Garner
Charles Bronson
Richard Attenborough
James Donald
Donald Pleasance
James Coburn
The first half of the film focuses on various escape attempts made by the POWs, as well of the planning of the escape and digging the tunnels, Tom, Dick, and Harry. This half of the film is quite comedic, and the characters work well together.
The second half of the film follows the escape ...
Advantages: Thrilling adventure from the past Disadvantages: none
for everyone, even the younger children, as there is no rudeness, bad language or bloodshed, (apart from one or two scenes where escaping prisoners are gunned down, but then this isn't really bloodshed), and it may even be a little educational for the younger viewer?
With it being a sort of historical fact based movie it does tend to be a little long, this one being around three hours, so some people may get a little bored, although once you start watching the time simply flies by?
Would I recommend this??
Yes I certainly would.
It is a great film showing roughly how POWs lived during there stay at the Hotel Stalag? depicting there day to day routine, showing how there chain of command never diminishes even though they are under guard from the Germans?
It is an all round entertaining and some what educational movie with some rather ...
Return To The Great Escape Making Of Documentary, Original US Theatrical Trailer, Booklet, Interactive Menu, Chapter Search
Aspect Ratio
4:3 Full Frame, 2.35 Wide Screen
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Mono
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"...THE GREAT ESCAPE is the finest, all-out entertaining movie from that pot of World War Two, multi-star films..." -- 4 out of 5 stars (Total Film, p.108, 01/07/2000)
DVD Description
Arguably the best World War II adventure film ever made, John Sturges's dramatisation of the true story of a group of British, American, and Canadian POWs who executed a massive escape from Stalag Luft III in Upper Silesia in March 1944, stars Steve McQueen as the rebellious Virgil Hilts. The German high command has filtered out all the most talented escape artists of the Allies' and placed them in a POW camp specifically designed to foil any unwanted departures. Of course, as soon as they arrive, the prisoners begin work on a series of tunnels under the direction of Roger Big X Bartlett (Richard Attenborough). He assigns the POWs to jobs according to their specialties: Bob Scrounger Hendley (James Garner) steals necessary items, Eric Dispersal Ashley-Pitt (David McCallum) hides the soil being dug from the tunnels, and Danny the Tunnel King Willinski (Charles Bronson) and Colin the Forger Blythe (Donald Pleasence) have self-explanatory handles. For more than a year, 600 prisoners, most of whom won't be leaving, work toward an escape that will temporarily disrupt the operations of the German army. The host of big-name stars meshes beautifully in this meticulous re-creation of the legendary escape. Although this is a film about courage, Sturges wisely takes a low-key approach, leavened with humour, rather than allowing the cast to indulge in macho antics. However, McQueen's memorable motorcycle stunts could be said to fit in that category. THE GREAT ESCAPE, based on the book by Paul Brickhill, is quite simply one of the grandest war films ever made, featuring many key scenes (McQueen's motorcycle chase, McQueen tossing the baseball against the cell wall, Bronson sliding on his chest in the tunnel) that are unforgettable.
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