Review of The Great Escape (1963) by Dorianator F — 27 Apr 2014

Directed by John Sturges (Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957), The Magnificent Seven (1960), Ice Station Zebra (1968) and McQ (1974)), and based upon the 1950 book by Paul Brickhill. This prisoner of war film has become renowned as one of the best of it's kind, and it's aided by a very good ensemble cast from both sides of the Atlantic all giving very great performances, and it's well made too.

In 1944, the Nazi's have just opened Stalag Luft III in Sagan, which is used to prevent any prisoners from escaping. Luftwaffe Colonel von Luger (Hannes Messemer) is Commandant of the camp, and he's going to ensure that no-one escapes from the camp while he's in charge.

However, he didn't count on RAF Squadron Leader Roger Bartlett (Richard Attenborough), using 3 tunnels to break most of the prisoners out, and they include Captain Virgil Hilts (Steve McQueen), Lt.

Robert Hendley (James Garner), Captain Ramsey (James Donald), Lt. Colin Blythe (Donald Pleasence), Danny Valinski (Charles Bronson) and Louis Sedgwick (James Coburn). It has some very good moments throughout, and it's easy to forget how suspenseful this film is, and how cunning the allied forces were against the Nazi's.

The film might be a touch on the overlong side, (it could have done with 40 mins shaved off), but other than that, it has some very good and memorable moments.