The Great Escape movie storyline. Nazi Germany, 1942. With the Germans forced to spend time and resources hunting down escaping Allied officers, the Third Reich opened Stalag Luft III: a maximum-security, Luftwaffe-run POW camp. And designed to discourage even the craftiest prisoners, the Nazis moved truckloads of downed fighter pilots to the newly established prison camp.
However, they have unwittingly assembled a dream team of escape artists. As the indomitable human spirit meets the dogged determination to be free, the hand-picked inmates waste no time sniffing out weaknesses and minute opportunities for escape–after all, it is the sworn duty of all officers to give the enemy hell and try to escape. Are the mighty oppressors prepared for the great escape?
The Great Escape is a 1963 American epic war suspense 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.
Based on 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 during the Second World War. The film made numerous compromises for its commercial appeal, including its portrayal of American prisoners’ involvement in the escape.
The Great Escape was made by The Mirisch Company, released by United Artists, and produced and directed by John Sturges. The film had its Royal World Premiere at the Odeon Leicester Square in London’s West End on 20 June 1963.[3] The Great Escape received critical acclaim and emerged as one of the highest-grossing films of the year, winning McQueen the award for Best Actor at the Moscow International Film Festival,[4] and is considered a classic. The film is also noted for its motorcycle chase and jump scene, which is considered one of the best stunts ever performed.
The Great Escape (1963)
Directed by: John Sturges
Starring: Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough, James Donald, Charles Bronson, Donald Pleasence, James Coburn, Hannes Messemer, David McCallum, Gordon Jackson, John Leyton
Screenplay by: James Clavell, W. R. Burnett
Cinematography by: Daniel L. Fapp
Film Editing by: Ferris Webster
Set Decoration by: Kurt Ripberger
Art Direction by: Fernando Carrere
Music by: Elmer Bernstein
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: United Artists
Release Date: June 20, 1963 (London), July 4, 1963 (United States)
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