War > A War

Advantages: Star studded cast, Based on a true story, Funny, And that motorcycle chase which everybody loves
Disadvantages: I cant think of one honestly

The Great Escape, written by James Clavell, W.R. Burnett, and Walter Newman (who went uncredited for this film), and directed by John Sturges is a popular 1963 World War II film starring Steve McQueen, Richard Attenborough and James Garner, based on a true story about Allied prisoners of war with a record for escaping from German prisoner-of-war camps. The Luftwaffe placed them in a new more secure camp, Stalag Luft III, from which they promptly ...
...film was based upon the factual book of the same name by Paul Brickhill, who observed the actual events as a prisoner, as did George Harsh who supplied the introduction. Harsh, one of the few Americans in the British section of Stalag Luft III, died in 1980 at age 72, according to a 1980 page of obituaries in Time magazine. Featuring an all-star cast including McQueen (whose motorcycle chase is the film's most remembered action scene; he also did ... Read review

Advantages: great film
Disadvantages: none

Arguebly the best war film of all time. The great escape is set during WWII in a prisoner of war camp. The main aim of the film is for the prisoners to escape and flee to a safe area. The main characters are Hilts, Roger, Hendley. Firstly there is Hilts "the cooler king" as he was well known as in the film, because of his multiple daring escape attempts which did work but he was then caught the next day and sent to the cooler. Secondly there is Roger ...
...the the escapes and did actually manage to escape but then he was caught and murdered in the final scene. Hendley or "the scrounger" as he was better known, got someone to divert the attention of the guards while he would steal something useful. The main escape plan in the great escape is to escape out of the POW camp via an underground tunnel. The characters performance in the film were amazing and like no other. The stunts and special effects ... Read review

Advantages: Everything, seeing Steve McQueen lots is a bonus =]
Disadvantages: none!

...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 ...
...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 of the prisoners, and follows their various journeys as they try and get back to Britain safely. It is much more dramatic than the first half, and is quite fast ... Read review

Advantages: Simply a great film
Disadvantages: Cant really think of any

Another outstanding piece of British Cinema. John Mills plays a Captain charged with getting his ambulance through enemy held desert to Alexandria. He is joined by his Sergeant Major and a couple of female nurses. During the trip they pick up a 'South African' Officer (Anthony Quayle) left behind by his unit during the retreat. The story outlines the trials and hurdles the hardy group face in getting their ambulance back to Alexandria all the while ...
...Matters are complicated by John Mills alcohol problem and Anthony Quayle's seemingly endless supply of Gin. Some of the highlights of the film include the dramatic attempt at 'cranking' the ambulance up a steep slope (makes you sweat just watching it) and the subsequent release of the crank handle by the nurse (not even going to mention women drivers). You can almost see their hearts break as the ambulance hurtles down the slope. Anthony Quayle's ... Read review

Advantages: A great film, with great performances.
Disadvantages: The action is directed near the end of the film.

The Eagle Has Landed (1977) It is 1943, and Mussillini has just been rescued from a mountain top prison in Italy by a daring German commando raid. Now Hitler wants Winston Churchill kidnapped. From the pen of Jack Higgins, the film puts you straight into the depths of Nazi Germany and the story of how Colonel Kurt Steiner (MIchael Caine), Liam Delvin (Donald Sutherland) and 15 German paratroopers desend into the quiet English countryside to carry ...
...a battle scarred survivor of the Russian Front that is now the brains behind the mission. A young Jenny Agutter, who provides the love interest for Donald Sutherland as a young nieve country girl. There is a classic casting of Larry Hagman as Colonel Pitts and his fellow American officer, Captain Clarke, played by Treat Williams. All in all, this is a great film, providing the viewer with thrills, action, interigue and even a small love interest. ... Read review