An absolute classic

Rating: 9/10 (12 April 2015)

An absolute classic from Billy Wilder.
Great plot - tense, gritty drama, with very funny interludes and dialogue. The only (minor) problem is that sometimes the farce and the drama don't gel.
Solid performances all round. William Holden, a Billy Wilder favourite, is great in the lead role (and he got the 1954 Best Actor Oscar for his efforts).
Surely the movie that launched the POW drama. You can see influences in this movie in just about every POW movie/series, especially Hogan's Heroes (down to both having a friendly, bumbling German sergeant named Schultz!).