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Stalag 17 (1953)

TV_PG 120 min  -  Comedy | Drama | Thriller  -   10 August 1953 (Brazil)
8.1
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Ratings: 8.1/10 from 26,695 users  
Reviews: 118 user | 60 critic

When two escaping American World War II prisoners are killed, the German POW camp barracks black marketeer, J.J. Sefton, is suspected of being an informer.

Director:

Billy Wilder

Writers:

Billy Wilder (written for the screen by), Edwin Blum (written for the screen by), and 2 more credits »
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
William Holden ...
Don Taylor Don Taylor ...
Otto Preminger ...
Robert Strauss Robert Strauss ...
Sgt. Stanislaus 'Animal' Kuzawa
Harvey Lembeck ...
Sgt. Harry Shapiro
Richard Erdman ...
Peter Graves ...
Sgt. Price
Neville Brand ...
Duke
Sig Ruman Sig Ruman ...
Michael Moore Michael Moore ...
Sgt. Manfredi
Peter Baldwin Peter Baldwin ...
Sgt. Johnson
Robinson Stone Robinson Stone ...
Joey
Robert Shawley Robert Shawley ...
Sgt. 'Blondie' Peterson
William Pierson William Pierson ...
Gil Stratton ...
Sgt. Clarence Harvey 'Cookie' Cook (as Gil Stratton Jr.)
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Storyline

It's a dreary Christmas 1944 for the American POWs in Stalag 17. For the men in Barracks 4, all Sergeants, they have to deal with another problem - there seems to be a security leak. The Germans always seem to be forewarned about escapes and in the most recent attempt the two men, Manfredi and Johnson, walked straight into a trap and were killed. For some in Barracks 4, especially the loud-mouthed Duke, the leaker is obvious: J.J. Sefton a wheeler-dealer who doesn't hesitate to trade with the guards and who has acquired goods and privileges that no other prisoner seems to have. Sefton denies giving the Germans any information and makes it quite clear that he has no intention of ever trying to escape. He plans to to ride out the war in what little comfort he can arrange, but it doesn't extend to spying for the Germans. As tensions mount and a mob mentality takes root, it becomes... Written by garykmcd  

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

Escape | Spy | Barracks | Guard | Plant  | See more »

Taglines:

Hilarious, heart-tugging! You'll laugh...you'll cry...you'll cheer William Holden in his great Academy Award role! (from reissue print ad)

Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Thriller | War

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German | Russian

Release Date:

(Brazil) See more »

Also Known As:

Infierno en la tierra See more »

Box Office

Budget:

$1,661,530 (estimated)

Gross:

$10,000,000 (Worldwide) (January 1955)
See more »

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures See more »
Show detailed company contact information on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

 | Germany:

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

To improve the chances for commercial success in West Germany (at that time already an important market for Hollywood) a Paramount executive suggested to Billy Wilder that he should make the camp guards Poles rather than Germans. Wilder, whose mother and stepfather had died in the concentration camps, furiously refused and demanded an apology from the executive. When it didn't come, Wilder did not extend his contract at Paramount See more »

Goofs

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): We learn from the escape plan in the beginning of the movie that the Stalag 17 prison camp is located on the river Danube near Linz, which is on the Austrian and German Border. Later in the movie, when the prisoners are watching the women in the Russian compound, Cookie claims that on a clear day, you could see the Swiss Alps with this telescope. Nobody could see the Swiss Alps with even the best telescope, from this point of view, because the Austrian Alps would definitely be in the way. See more »

Quotes

Sefton: [spoiler] I told you boys I'm no escape artist. For the first time, I like the odds, because now I got me a decoy.
Hoffy: What's the decoy?
Sefton: Price. When I go, I want you to give me five minutes - exactly five minutes - to get Dunbar out of that water tank. And then you throw Price out onto the compound, nice and loud. He'll draw every light from every goon tower. It's our only chance to cut through. Well, what do you say, barracks chief?
Bagradian: He's right, Hoffy. It's either Price or Dunbar.
Animal: He killed Johnson and Manfredi, didn't he?
[...]
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Connections

Referenced in Foul Play (1978) See more »

Soundtracks

"I Love You (Je t'aime)"
(1923) (uncredited)
Music by Harry Archer
Lyrics by Harlan Thompson
Played on a record and sung by Ross Bagdasarian
Played also as dance music
Sung a bit by Robert Strauss See more »