A good film

Rating: 8/10 (3 January 2006)

From what I have heard from actual POWs, this is a reasonably accurate portrayal of what it was like to be held in a POW camp run by the Luftwaffe. "Firm but fair" on the whole. And far better than the alternative, i.e. being held captive by the Gestapo or SS. The Great Escape is a true story that has been doctored for Hollywood. There was an escape from Sagan camp, and 76 did get away. Of these, 3 made it to freedom. The rest were recaptured and fifty of them were shot by the SS on Hitler's orders; in groups of 2 and 3 though, not in the more dramatic mass-shooting we see in the film. Big X (Attenborough) was named Bushell, not Bartlett, and in fact there were no Americans in the camp. Garner and McQueen were included for box office appeal. Also, all the prisoners in the movie are in their late 30s and upwards Â– in reality almost all of them would have been closer to 20 than 30. But, once you acknowledge that the movie is not a 100% accurate depiction of what happened, but simply an enjoyable film based on the true story, with some invented motorcycle stunt work thrown in for good measure, you can sit back and enjoy, and feel admiration for all those who fought on the winning side in that cataclysmic war for the survival of freedom.