Escape and the Cooler King

Rating: 10/10 (3 June 2007)

Back in 1963, a war film arrived on the silver screen which set the standard for all dramas which followed. True there were other great war films such as The War Lover and Twelve O'Clock High, but none of them became the launching point for so many of Hollywood's great screen stars. Paul Brickhill wrote the original true story upon which this film is based on. Furthermore, with Elmer Berstein's rousing musical score, this movie then becomes nothing short of genuine classic. The saga of "The Great Escape" is wound around the actual war time experiences of American and British Airmen, who'd been captured and sent to what the German High Command called 'An Escape proof' prisoner of War Camp. Upon seeing the assortment of Hollywood elite, one can not expect anything but great drama and action adventure from the entire cast. Steve McQueen, who plays Capt. Virgil Hilts, "The Cooler King" leads an all star line up which consists of James Garner as Hendley "The Scrounger", Richard Attenborough as Squadron Leader Roger Bartlett, James Donald as Group Capt. Ramsey "The Senior British Officer", Charles Bronson is memorable as Danny Velinski "The Tunnel King", Donald Pleasence as Blythe, James Coburn as Louis Sedgwick, David McCallum as Ashley-Pitt and Gordon Jackson as MacDonald. They are imprisoned and guarded by Germany's elite guards, commanded by Col. Von Luger (Hannes Messemer) who has been personally selected for the task. Since it's inception, this film has garnered a commanding cult following. It's status is notable as the vehicle which literally propels McQueen up into his stardom. *****