Blah, blah, blah - I'm bored and etc. Anybody got a car they want washing?
Blah, blah, blah - I'm bored and etc. Anybody got a car they want washing?
Member since:03.10.2000
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Women are strange creatures. Any bloke reading that will know what I'm talking about but what forced me to say that now (and 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, the high command decides to place all of it's 'rotten eggs' in one basket and creates a new PoW camp ...one 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 the big escape attempt. Can security be maintained, can the inmates keep the guards from becoming suspicious, and can the inmates dig their way to freedom?
Writing a review for this film is problematic. I've got to make sure I don't give too much away, but at the same time it's a story that everyone's familiar with. The fact that it's based on reality should only add to the tension in the film, but somehow it doesn't. The reality element seems to go out of the window and has very little bearing on the film. That's not to say that the film is in anyway unbelievable as it is...it's just as though we forget that it's
real (or semi-real anyway).
Let me say this up front: This film's a classic. It's regarded as one of the best PoW films there is and after watching it you can understand why. Made very much in the heyday of ensemble casts, The Great Escape boasts a huge cast and they're the best at what they do. McQueen gets top billing and although his Cooler King Hilts is the epitome of cool, he spends most of the film away from the rest of the cast. McQueen IS class though and fans of the man will not be disappointed. Joining McQueen on the US front is James Garner and it's very much business as usual for the man who would Jim Rockford and gambler Maverick. We've seen the act before, and while this may seem limited, the Scrounger is certainly perfectly suited to Garner's talents. Last up is James Coburn and while he may sport a ridiculous accent (he's supposed to be Australian) he certainly gets the job done in style.
It's not a US affair though and the rest of the cast make up a fairly good mix of nations. Richard Attenborough leads the British contingent and his Big X is very much the genius that an escape officr needs to be. Brilliantly focused, Attenborough never looked better and this will certainly rank as one of his most fondly remembered performances (I won't say best but certainly remembered). David McCallum, Donald Pleasance, and Gordon Jackson are all spot on as the British officers doing their best to upset the Nazi apple cart. All of which makes James Donald's commanding officer seem a little wooden by comparrison (in any other film it wouldn't but here...). Last but not least we get to one of my most maligned actors of all time. The terrible Charles Bronson actually turns in the one decent performance of his career and although it would be a nice thing to say that it makes up for all those Death Wish movies, it doesn't so I won't.
Very much a tale of two halves, The Great Escape starts off as a first rate escape picture. The tension is excellent, the story is filled with enough twists, turns, and plot to keep audiences engrossed. With so many characters it would be easy to lose characters but there's so much going on that all of the main stars get their moments to stick in our memories. Whether it's Garner scrounging, McQueen being locked up, Attenborough scheming, or Pleasance losing his sight, it all remains utterly compelling. From the moment the prisoners enter the camp to the sprint for the trees it's perfectly paced and never lags.
I'm going to blow a plot point now so anyone not wanting to know something fairly important to the story had best skip this paragraph. What always struck me and Mrs TheNeil as funny about this film is that it's called The Great Escape. They want to get 250 men out and yes, that's pretty great. The fact that they only get 70 odd out makes it less great. Maybe a better title might be The Not So Great Escape, or The So-So Escape.
So after the escape our heroes all go their seperate ways. But the tension and drama doesn't let up. It's still filled with memorable scenes and performances but now we're outside the camp. The story though is still exceptional and there's no jump in style or approach. Now we've answered the question of whether or not they can escape from the camp, we now have to wonder whether or not they can escape Germany.
So the cast are excellent and the story is perfect, but that doesn't make a great film (as we've seen in the past). John Sturges direction is flawless. Never letting the pace drop for a second, Sturges brings out the best in his cast and creates a wonderful sense of comeraderie. With an air of tension, a spirit of adventure, and a sense of fun, Sturges' influence really does make the film. Knowing exactly when to lighten the mood (there's a good level of 'humour' running throughout), when to darken the lights, and when to keep us guessing, the director plays us the viewer brilliantly.
Bernstein's score is marvellous and spewed forth an extremely memorable theme tune, that perfectly complements the onscreen action. When coupled with some marvellous stunts it works brilliantly. The stunts themselves are used sparingly but anyone who's seen this epic will instantly recognise Steve McQueen's bike chase (the only reason he agreed to appear in the film was because he could do his own bike riding) (well except for the final jump sequence).
Epic though does very aptly describe this film, and at 2 and three quarter hours, it does sound long. Actually it IS long but it never feels it. The on screen action is so engrossing that it never lets the viewer get bored or lose interest.
Mrs TheNeil asked me why they don't make films like this anymore and it took me a while to come up with an answer. It looks right, and it feels right. The camera stays on a scene in a way that modern films don't. There's no fast editing, frenzied camera movement, or breakneck pace to bridge our supposedly limited attention spans. The Great Escape has that air of antiquity, a sense of quality, and maybe just a hint of familiarity about it. We know the style and it feels comfortable to us. We don't get alienated by a 'vision' but drawn in and sat down in a comfy armchair, and allowed to take our time watching a scene (we actually can let our eyes wander around the screen rather than being forced to concentrate on a single element for a few scant frames).
Analysis aside, it's a classic. While initially appearing to be a 'bloke' film, this is the kind of film that appeals to all of the family. Yes there's some violence but it's tame and very restrained (the PG rating keeps that firmly in check). The cast are wonderful and a joy to watch, and it's pure excitement all the way. Great Escape? Maybe not. Great film? No question.
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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
Absolutely agree, a good review of a true classic. Thanks
fairenoughclough 02.01.2005 10:56
A very comprehensive review of aclassic film that's shown less often than one might think.
It's probably too long for modern audiences attention spans.
Mike
alexandrapontecaille 08.08.2001 22:35
definitely a classic, well written op.
excellent cast and great play.
well odne
Alex
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