The Great Escape 1963

imdb-logo 8.2 / 10

The Great Escape

The Nazis, exasperated at the number of escapes from their prison camps by a relatively small number of Allied prisoners, relocate them to a high-security 'escape-proof' camp to sit out the remainder of the war. Undaunted, the prisoners plan one of the most ambitious escape attempts of World War II. Based on a true story.

The Nazis, exasperated at the number of escapes from their prison camps by a relatively small number of Allied prisoners, relocate them to a high-security 'escape-proof' camp to sit out the remainder of the war. Undaunted, the prisoners plan one of the most ambitious escape attempts of World War II. Based on a true story.

Videos & Photos

All 4 Videos & 49 Photos

... Hilts 'The Cooler King'

... Hendley 'The Scrounger'

... Bartlett 'Big X'

... Ramsey 'The SBO'

... Danny 'Tunnel King'

... Blythe 'The Forger'

User reviews

See All 2 Reviews

23 Jun 2021 by John Chard

Not just great, simply magnificent more like! "Wait a minute, you aren't seriously suggesting that if I get thru the wire and case everything out there, and don't get picked up, to turn myself in and get thrown in the cooler for a couple of months so you can get the information you need" Smart, witty and directed with adroit hands by John Sturges, The Great Escape is standing the test of time as a joyous multi cast family favourite. Based on the real accounts of allied soldiers escaping en mass from a German POW camp back in 1942, the film is involving from start to finish, due in the main to the wonderful array of characters on show. We follow them from the moment they arrive at the camp right through to the stunning climax, and it is with great joy I say that none of the cast lets the side down, they all do great work for the astute and undervalued Sturges. A number of great set pieces align with Elmer Bernstein's fabulous score to never let the blood settle, and in among the cheeky slices of humour is palpable tension to make this simply one of the best films of its type, in fact one of the best films ever. Sturges and his writers, James Clavell & W.R. Burnett, adapt from the book written by Paul Brickhill, someone who speaks from experience having been one of the prisoners of super POW camp Stalag Luft III, which of course is what The Great Escape is born from. Sturges was fascinated by the story and after trying without fail for over a decade to get it onto the screen, he finally succeeded. The success three years earlier of his star ensemble Western, The Magnificent Seven, enabled Sturges to realise his vision, the result of which is still enthralling new generations with each passing year. The cast is made up of notable thespians and iconic heroes. Steve McQueen (enticing the American audience in one feels), Richard Attenborough, Charles Bronson, James Donald, Donald Pleasance, James Coburn, James Garner, David McCallum, John Leyton and Gordon Jackson. Which of course is a pretty tidy roll call, but the input and impact of Hannes Messemer as the Camp Commandant, Colonel Von Luger should not be understated. His scenes have a real humanistic quality that shows a softer side of Germany to the one ruled by a certain despot (the finale here offering up the counter opposite of the war), the writers smartly, and rightly, not tarring a nation with the same old brush. A wonderful involving movie that puts characteristic heart in bed with the action and suspense laden plot. 10/10

Release Date:

Jul 03, 1963 (United States)

Run Time:

2hr 53`

MMPA Rating:

NR

Original Language:

English

Production Countries:

United States

Status:

Released

Related Movies To

The Great Escape

Write Review

Found 2 reviews in total

23 Jun 2021 by John Chard

Not just great, simply magnificent more like! "Wait a minute, you aren't seriously suggesting that if I get thru the wire and case everything out there, and don't get picked up, to turn myself in and get thrown in the cooler for a couple of months so you can get the information you need" Smart, witty and directed with adroit hands by John Sturges, The Great Escape is standing the test of time as a joyous multi cast family favourite. Based on the real accounts of allied soldiers escaping en mass from a German POW camp back in 1942, the film is involving from start to finish, due in the main to the wonderful array of characters on show. We follow them from the moment they arrive at the camp right through to the stunning climax, and it is with great joy I say that none of the cast lets the side down, they all do great work for the astute and undervalued Sturges. A number of great set pieces align with Elmer Bernstein's fabulous score to never let the blood settle, and in among the cheeky slices of humour is palpable tension to make this simply one of the best films of its type, in fact one of the best films ever. Sturges and his writers, James Clavell & W.R. Burnett, adapt from the book written by Paul Brickhill, someone who speaks from experience having been one of the prisoners of super POW camp Stalag Luft III, which of course is what The Great Escape is born from. Sturges was fascinated by the story and after trying without fail for over a decade to get it onto the screen, he finally succeeded. The success three years earlier of his star ensemble Western, The Magnificent Seven, enabled Sturges to realise his vision, the result of which is still enthralling new generations with each passing year. The cast is made up of notable thespians and iconic heroes. Steve McQueen (enticing the American audience in one feels), Richard Attenborough, Charles Bronson, James Donald, Donald Pleasance, James Coburn, James Garner, David McCallum, John Leyton and Gordon Jackson. Which of course is a pretty tidy roll call, but the input and impact of Hannes Messemer as the Camp Commandant, Colonel Von Luger should not be understated. His scenes have a real humanistic quality that shows a softer side of Germany to the one ruled by a certain despot (the finale here offering up the counter opposite of the war), the writers smartly, and rightly, not tarring a nation with the same old brush. A wonderful involving movie that puts characteristic heart in bed with the action and suspense laden plot. 10/10

10 Jan 2023 by GenerationofSwine

I can't watch this any more. It's a fun movie, one that my dad made me watch as a kid. One that I loved... .... and then Eddie Izzard killed it for me. Now whenever I try to watch it all I do is think about his stand-up bit. I think it was from his "Dressed to Kill," maybe "Circle," but whichever it was, that is how you know you're hysterical, when you forever utterly ruin a classic movie because your routine surpasses the film you're making fun of. Anyway, Izzard had a point, so it's fair I can't not think of him whenever I watch it. He turned Steve McQueen's character into a joke and I love him for it. But, if you haven't seen the stand-up, it's a fun movie. It's not as good as Stalag 13, but it's more of an action film and one that, well, Izzard had a point but it's still a fun movie.

Cast & Crew of

The Great Escape

Directors & Credit Writers

... Assistant Director

... Script Supervisor

... Director

Cast

... Hilts 'The Cooler King'

... Hendley 'The Scrounger'

... Bartlett 'Big X'

... Ramsey 'The SBO'

... Danny 'Tunnel King'

... Blythe 'The Forger'

... Sedgwick 'Manufacturer'

... Von Luger 'The Kommandant'

... Ashley-Pitt 'Dispersal'

... MacDonald 'Intelligence'

... Willie 'Tunnel King'

... Ives 'The Mole'

... Cavendish 'The Surveyor'

... Werner 'The Ferret'

... Herr Kuhn

... Stratwitch

... Capt. Posen

... Preissen

Produced By

... Producer

... Producer

... Executive Producer

Videos & Photos of

The Great Escape

Videos ( 4)

Photos ( 49 )

Related Movies To

The Great Escape

Found 12 Movies in total

poster-Thunderbolts*
Thunderbolts* (2025)

0 /10

After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap, seven disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.

Run Time: 2hr 7` . MMPA: PG-13 . Release: 30 Apr 2025

Director: Anthony Russo , Robert Ratner , George Cottle

Producer: Helen Pollak , Simona Paparelli , Matthew Jenkins

Stars: Sebastian Stan , Florence Pugh , David Harbour , Wyatt Russell , Olga Kurylenko , Hannah John-Kamen

poster-Ice Road: Vengeance
Ice Road: Vengeance (2025)

0 /10

Big rig ice road driver Mike McCann travels to Nepal to scatter his late brother’s ashes on Mt. Everest. While on a packed tour bus traversing the deadly 12,000 ft. terrain of the infamous Road to the Sky, McCann and his mountain guide encounter a group of mercenaries and must fight to save themselves, the busload of innocent travelers, and the local villagers’ homeland.

Run Time: 1hr 53` . MMPA: R . Release: 27 Jun 2025

Director: Jonathan Hensleigh

Producer: Jonathan Dana , David Tish , Lisa Wilson

Stars: Liam Neeson , Fan Bingbing , Marcus Thomas , Mahesh Jadu , Bernard Curry , Saksham Sharma

poster-Jurassic World Rebirth
Jurassic World Rebirth (2025)

0 /10

Five years after the events of Jurassic World Dominion, covert operations expert Zora Bennett is contracted to lead a skilled team on a top-secret mission to secure genetic material from the world's three most massive dinosaurs. When Zora's operation intersects with a civilian family whose boating expedition was capsized, they all find themselves stranded on an island where they come face-to-face with a sinister, shocking discovery that's been hidden from the world for decades.

Run Time: 2hr 14` . MMPA: PG-13 . Release: 01 Jul 2025

Director: Jack Ravenscroft , Gareth Edwards , Ben Cooke

Producer: Jina Jay , Denis L. Stewart , David Leitch

Stars: Scarlett Johansson , Jonathan Bailey , Manuel Garcia-Rulfo , Rupert Friend , Mahershala Ali , Richard Gadd

poster-Lilo & Stitch
Lilo & Stitch (2025)

0 /10

The wildly funny and touching story of a lonely Hawaiian girl and the fugitive alien who helps to mend her broken family.

Run Time: 1hr 48` . MMPA: PG . Release: 17 May 2025

Director: Kate Pulley , Richard Oswald , Brian Avery Galligan

Producer: Sande Alessi , Spencer Turley , Tom C. Peitzman

Stars: Chris Sanders , Maia Kealoha , Zach Galifianakis , Billy Magnussen , Sydney Agudong , Courtney B. Vance

poster-Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado
Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado (2025)

0 /10

Dora, Diego, and their new friends trek through the perilous dangers of the Amazonian jungle in search of the ancient and powerful treasure of Sol Dorado to keep it out of enemy hands.

Run Time: 1hr 36` . MMPA: PG . Release: 02 Jul 2025

Director: Alberto Belli

Producer:

Stars: Samantha Lorraine , Jacob Rodriguez , Mariana Garzón Toro , Christian Gnecco Quintero , Tiago Martinez , Daniella Pineda

poster-F1
F1 (2025)

0 /10

Racing legend Sonny Hayes is coaxed out of retirement to lead a struggling Formula 1 team—and mentor a young hotshot driver—while chasing one more chance at glory.

Run Time: 2hr 36` . MMPA: PG-13 . Release: 25 Jun 2025

Director: Zoe Morgan , Lisa Vick , Toby Hefferman

Producer: Brad Pitt , Daniel Castle King , Daniel Lupi

Stars: Brad Pitt , Damson Idris , Kerry Condon , Tobias Menzies , Lewis Hamilton , Javier Bardem

poster-Superman
Superman (2025)

0 /10

Superman, a journalist in Metropolis, embarks on a journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent.

Run Time: 2hr 10` . MMPA: PG-13 . Release: 09 Jul 2025

Director: James Edward Tilden , Kera Dacy , Ryan J. Pezdirc

Producer: Ted Alvarez , Nik Korda , Lars P. Winther

Stars: David Corenswet , Rachel Brosnahan , Nicholas Hoult , Isabela Merced , Edi Gathegi , Skyler Gisondo

poster-The Twisters
The Twisters (2024)

0 /10

A deadly patchwork of destructive cyclones is on an apocalyptic path of convergence at a populated Midwest city center. There, the twisters will merge into one mega tornado that threatens to obliterate the cities for hundreds of miles around.

Run Time: 1hr 27` . MMPA: . Release: 28 Jun 2024

Director: Michael Su

Producer: Kasia Szarek , David Rimawi , David Michael Latt

Stars: Kayla Fields , Mark Justice , Paul Logan , Curtis Strong , Tiffany , Sofia Riba

poster-A Minecraft Movie
A Minecraft Movie (2025)

0 /10

Four misfits find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home, they'll have to master this world while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve.

Run Time: 1hr 41` . MMPA: PG . Release: 31 Mar 2025

Director: Maddy Powell , Laura Hutton , Sophie Calver

Producer: Jaclyn Willens , Lydia Winters , Mike Daley

Stars: Jack Black , Jason Momoa , Matt Berry , Pauline Chalamet , Jennifer Coolidge , Danielle Brooks

poster-xXx
xXx (2002)

5.8 /10

Xander Cage is your standard adrenaline junkie with no fear and a lousy attitude. When the US Government "recruits" him to go on a mission, he's not exactly thrilled. His mission: to gather information on an organization that may just be planning the destruction of the world, led by the nihilistic Yorgi.

Run Time: 2hr 4` . MMPA: PG-13 . Release: 09 Aug 2002

Director: Jakub Dvorak , Hans Berggren , George Parra

Producer: Minna Pyyhkala , Neal H. Moritz , Zdenek Vrubel

Stars: Vin Diesel , Asia Argento , Samuel L. Jackson , Leila Arcieri , Marton Csokas , Eve

poster-Breathing In
Breathing In (2023)

0 /10

1901, South Africa. As the Second Anglo-Boer War rages on, a wounded General seeks refuge in the small home of a woman and her young daughter. As the hurt man settles in, he begins noticing that something is off about the two women, particularly the daughter, and before long, he’ll learn the real reason for why they’ve invited him and for how they’ve survived on their own for so long.

Run Time: 1hr 45` . MMPA: . Release: 18 Oct 2023

Director: Jaco Bouwer

Producer:

Stars: Michele Burgers , Sven Ruygrok , Jamie-Lee Money , Lionel Newton

poster-Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning
Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning (2025)

0 /10

Ethan Hunt and team continue their search for the terrifying AI known as the Entity — which has infiltrated intelligence networks all over the globe — with the world's governments and a mysterious ghost from Hunt's past on their trail. Joined by new allies and armed with the means to shut the Entity down for good, Hunt is in a race against time to prevent the world as we know it from changing forever.

Run Time: 2hr 50` . MMPA: PG-13 . Release: 17 May 2025

Director: Tommy Gormley , Rebecca Sheridan , Wade Eastwood

Producer: Tommy Gormley , Chris Brock , Matt Craufurd

Stars: Tom Cruise , Hayley Atwell , Ving Rhames , Simon Pegg , Vanessa Kirby , Henry Czerny