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The Great Escape

The Great Escape is a 1963 American epic war adventure film starring Steve McQueen, James Garner and Richard Attenborough and featuring James Donald, Charles Bronson, Donald Pleasence, James Coburn, Hannes Messemer, David McCallum, Gordon Jackson, John Leyton and Angus Lennie. It was filmed in Panavision, and its musical score was composed by Elmer Bernstein. Adapted from Paul Brickhill's 1950 non-fiction book of the same name, the film depicts a heavily fictionalized version of the mass escape by British Commonwealth prisoners of war from German POW camp Stalag Luft III in World War II. The film made numerous compromises for its commercial appeal, including its portrayal of American involvement in the escape.

Plot

During World War II, Allied POWs who have repeatedly escaped from camps in Germany are moved to a new camp under the command of Luftwaffe Colonel von Luger. He warns British Group Captain Ramsey—the highest-ranked POW officer—that escapees will be shot. Regardless, several POWs unsuccessfully attempt to escape on the first day. Hilts, a notoriously prolific escapee, finds a blind spot at the fence. In testing it, he is shot at, but his discovery is unnoticed. He is placed in a cell next to Ives in "the cooler", and the two become friends.

Awards