Exciting, well-acted prisoner-of-war epic is a treat for movie fans.

Rating: 9/10 (24 October 1999)

"The Great Escape" stands out as one of the greatest war films. It would be inaccurate to characterize it as a prisoner-of-war film. It doesn't compare to "Stalag 17" in its depiction of barracks life in the prison camps. For one thing, "The Great Escape" was filmed in glorious technicolor with the Alps and forests of Germany as a backdrop. Much of the film occurs outside. "Stalag 17", by contrast, is filmed in gritty black and white with the mud of a German winter in the background. Virtually the entire film occurs indoors. For a realistic portrayal of what life in a German prison camp might have been like watch "Stalag 17".
"The Great Escape" is primarily an action film. The prison camp is merely a launching point for the movie's action, which features a tunnel cave-in, furious chases through picturesque German villages, leaps from a speeding train and a plane crash. Steve McQueen's stunt riding on a bicycle provides some of the greatest moments in any film and is every bit as exciting as the famous car chase in his film "Bullit".
The international cast does a grand job of acting. The characterizations are rich. The viewer cannot help but identify with these characters. The character of "Big X" played by Richard Attenborough is complex. He reminds me of a prize fighter who has had one fight to many. In this case he has been in the ring with the Gestapo, and it shows. Hendley played by James Garner is the scrounger. He is the person the prisoners go to when they need travel documents, a camera or tunnel digging tools. He is a cynic. At the end of the film he asks "Was it worth it?"
There is plenty of suspense in this film. Which ones will escape? You pick your favorites and hope they make it. Some do. Some don't. There is disappointment when Steve McQueen's motorcycle wipes out within a few feet of the Swiss border and freedom. There is a feeling of elation when James Coburn's guide appears and points at the mountains in the distance with the one word line "Espana".
Light moments are few in this film. The Fourth of July celebration complete with prison camp moonshine is an initial success, but disaster intrudes on the fun. The guards find one of the tunnels, and a prisoner is shot while trying to escape.
The film has a very human quality to it. The prisoners have very human faults. The obsession of "Big X" with getting back at the Germans for torturing him is an example. Charles Bronson's character is a genius at building tunnels but is a claustrophobic.
The Germans are not depicted as uniformly evil. The prison camp commandant (played by Hannes Messemer) is a compassionate man. He is quite a contrast to Otto Preminger's commandant in "Stalag 17". Robert Graf's character, "Werner, the Ferret", is a mixed up but generally sincere and kind person. He and Garner share a few moments of friendship in the film. It is Garner who violates the code to lift Werner's wallet to provide the documents that the prisoners need. The Gestapo is portrayed as evil and sadistic. In the film's early moments one of their men threatens "X" that "if you fall into our hands again, you will not be so lucky." Later, he makes good on that threat.
This is a memorable film that works on many levels. Few war films have had such a blend of great acting, beautiful scenery and exciting action. Interestingly, there is little of the graphic violence and blood that accompany most war films. The violence is subtle. When the 50 prisoners are executed at the end of the film only the machine gun and an empty truck are shown. It is all too clear what has happened.
Watch this film and "Stalag 17" as a pair. They provide interesting comparative approaches to the grim realities of prison camp life. Both are unforgettable films.