King of cool...

Rating: 9/10 (13 October 2005)

This wonderful star-studded war film is one of the best of the genre. With Steve McQueen (on brilliant form), James Garner, Richard Attenborough, James Coburn, Donald Pleasence and the late Charles Bronson this film is an absolute gem from the 60s. Based on the true story of a bunch of soldiers who are prisoners of war in the notorious POW camp Stalag Luft III, but the Gerries have underestimated their prisoners who like to give the Germans the run about by planning and staging miraculous escapes, but none are the same as the one they embark on in this camp, in which they attempt to get 250 prisoners out, it is unbelievably tense and the dialogue, amazing score, great directing and use of scenery, and of course the marvellous acting all add to create a mix that ends up in one hell of a film. Watch out for the cooler scene, which is so famous nowadays that it is copied by everyone under the sun, from The Simpsons to Chicken Run. But unlike these shows this film tells the ultimate story and is one that will make anyone all smiley in the finish.