A classic moment for the stars

Rating: 10/10 (8 March 2003)

Apart from the fact that it was a unique and great adventure epic, The Great Escape made important contributions to the career of a number of American and British male stars and would-be stars. This was due in part to director/producer John Sturges' particular intuition for the choice of actors and to effective, well-balanced characterizations which served as vehicles to several their players. Interestingly, none of the film's performers were big stars at the time and only McQueen, Garner and Attenbourough were well-known leading men. Primarily, the movie of course launched Steve McQueen to major stardom, only a few years after Sturges' The Magnificent Seven established the actor's lone hero persona on the big screen. McQueen stands out as a daring and cynical individualist, who appears unmoved and downright impertinent when being thrown in and out of the prison camp's cooler, and culminates in a classic motorcycle chase. But in a somewhat less glamorous manner, James Garner arguably gives a superior performance as the "scrounger", the prisoner gathering most of the essential materials of the escape through his wit, relaxed charm and resourcefulness. McQueen's admittedly impressive characterization sometimes comes a bit too close to parody and spectacular heroics, in the end lacking some credibility. Garner, on the other hand, manages a more subtle, understated humour, not distracting from the seriousness of his work and the stakes involved in the escape. Meanwhile, Richard Attenborough is also excellent as the mastermind of the escape, forcefully portraying a man convinced of his mission and ready to make sacrifices and ruthless decisions to achieve it. From the rest of the cast, Charles Bronson probably stands out most, projecting strength and determination as the head of the tunnel diggers, while towards the end, effectively conveying a vulnerable, tortured side of his character (even though the fact that the "Tunnel King" turns out to be a closet claustrophobic stretches credibility somewhat). Donald Pleasance gives some outstanding pieces of acting when his character gradually turns blind before the escape. The evolution of his friendship with Garner provides an interesting plot and character development, as Pleasance's traditional British ways and habits contrasts amusingly with Garner's easy-going and open American style. James Donald also does very well as the senior British officer, providing thoughtful, sensitive and self-effacing leadership. The other protagonists do not have sufficient screen time to make their characters more than moderately interesting, but James Coburn shines as a brash Australian who ends up escaping on a stolen bicycle, David McCallum has some brief but noticeable moments, particularly when disguised as a German civilian during his escape, and Gordon Jackson gives some bright support to Attenbourough, providing a human touch to balance the excessive seriousness of the latter's character. The attention spent to the fate and personality traits of all these characters, enliven by the engaging and usually flawless acting of the players, had much to do in creating and maintaining the interest of The Great Escape, making it a lot more than a big and exciting action film. For McQueen, Garner, Attenborough, Bronson, Coburn, Pleasance and McCallum, The Great Escape represents some of the finest moments in their long illustrious careers.