The Great Escape (1963)

Director:

John Sturges

Writers:

Paul Brickhill (book)
James Clavell (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

4 July 1963 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | History | Thriller | War

Tagline:

put a fence in front of these men...and they'll climb it...

Plot:

Allied POWs plan for several hundred of their number to escape from a German camp during World War II.

Plot Keywords:

Escape | Plan | Escape Attempt | Prisoner | Tunnel

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 4 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Steve McQueen	...	Hilts 'The Cooler King'
James Garner	...	Hendley 'The Scrounger'
Richard Attenborough	...	Bartlett 'Big X'
James Donald	...	Ramsey 'The SBO'
Charles Bronson	...	Danny 'Tunnel King'
Donald Pleasence	...	Blythe 'The Forger'
James Coburn	...	Sedgwick 'The Manufacturer'
Hannes Messemer	...	Von Luger 'The Kommandant'
David McCallum	...	Ashley-Pitt 'Dispersal'
Gordon Jackson	...	MacDonald 'Intelligence'
John Leyton	...	Willie 'Tunnel King'
Angus Lennie	...	Ives 'The Mole'
Nigel Stock	...	Cavendish 'The Surveyor'
Robert Graf	...	Werner 'The Ferret'
Jud Taylor	...	Goff
Hans Reiser	...	Herr Kuhn
Harry Riebauer	...	Stratwitch
William Russell	...	Sorren
Robert Freitag	...	Capt. Posen
Ulrich Beiger	...	Preissen
George Mikell	...	Lt. Dietrich
Lawrence Montaigne	...	Haynes ('Diversions')
Robert Desmond	...	Griffith 'Tailor'
Til Kiwe	...	Frick
Heinz Weiss	...	Kramer
Tom Adams	...	Dai Nimmo ('Diversions')
Karl-Otto Alberty	...	S.S. Officer Steinach

Directed by
John Sturges

Writing credits
Paul Brickhill		(book)
James Clavell		(screenplay) and
W.R. Burnett		(screenplay)

Produced by
John Sturges	....	producer
James Clavell	....	producer (uncredited)
Walter Mirisch	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Elmer Bernstein

Cinematography by
Daniel L. Fapp		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ferris Webster

Art Direction by
Fernando Carrere

Set Decoration by
Kurt Ripberger

Makeup Department
Emile LaVigne	....	makeup artist
Jay Sebring	....	hair designer: Steve McQueen, James Garner (uncredited)

Production Management
Allen K. Wood	....	production supervisor
Hubert Fröhlich	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jack N. Reddish	....	assistant director
John Flynn	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Robert E. Relyea	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
Frank Agnone	....	property

Sound Department
Wayne Fury	....	sound effects editor

Special Effects by
A. Paul Pollard	....	special effects (as Paul Pollard)

Stunts
Bud Ekins	....	stunt double: Steve McQueen, motorcycle jump (uncredited)
Tim Gibbs	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Hayward	....	stunts (uncredited)
Roy Jenson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Robert E. Relyea	....	stunt pilot (uncredited)
Roy N. Sickner	....	stunts (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Bert Henrikson	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Don Tomlinson	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Richard Carruth	....	music editor
Jack Hayes	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Leo Shuken	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
John Franco	....	script supervisor
Robert E. Relyea	....	assistant to producer
Wally Floody	....	technical advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Mirisch Corporation, The (as The Mirisch Company)

Distributors

• United Artists (1963) (USA) (theatrical) (released thru)
• United Artists (1963) (France) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1963) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Nova Film (1963) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (new 35mm print re-issue)
• Cine Qua Non Films (Japan) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment Japan (2000) (Japan) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment Japan (2000-2007) (Japan) (VHS)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Brazil) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Brazil) (VHS)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (1985) (Greece) (VHS)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1967) (USA) (TV)
• Criterion Collection, The (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Criterion Collection, The (1991) (USA) (laserdisc)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2002) (UK) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2000) (Germany) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2002) (France) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1991) (USA) (laserdisc)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (2006) (Japan) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Germany) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1990) (Japan) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1997) (Japan) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (Japan) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vidéo (1996) (France) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS) (short version)

Other Companies

• Samuel Goldwyn Studios  scoring (Samuel Goldwyn Studios, Scoring Stage Seven) (uncredited)
• Stalmaster-Lister Co.  casting

Also Known As:

Runtime:

172 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German | French | Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System) | Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | Iceland:12 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | USA:Approved (PCA #20399) | USA:Unrated | West Germany:12 (f) | South Korea:12 | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:PG | Japan:G (2009) | Brazil:12 | UK:U (passed with cuts) | Netherlands:14 (orginal rating) | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Bavaria Filmstudios, Geiselgasteig, Grünwald, Bavaria, Germany

Company:

Mirisch Corporation, The

Trivia:

The medal that Colonel von Luger wears around his neck is the Pour le Merite, also known as the Blue Max. Originally a Prussian military honor, in the First World War it was automatically given to fighter pilots who shot down eight planes (later raised to sixteen). The Nazis replaced it with the Knight's Cross but it could still be worn by officers who'd won it before the Third Reich.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Ashley Pitt is in the tunnel, the topsoil is a sandy color and the tunnel soil is dark. In reality it was the other way around with the topsoil being gray and tunnel soil being yellow.

Quotes:

Danny:Oh, Hendley. I need a pick. Big, heavy one.
Hendley:Only one?
Danny:Two would be better.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in 100 Greatest Cartoons (2005) (TV)

A genuine timeless classic.

During World War Two the Germans build a new prison camp, Stalag Luft III, for the express purpose of housing many of their most troublesome captured Allied airmen. However, all this serves to do is to pool the resources of some of the most ingenious escape artists in captivity and fill them with a resolve to engineer a mass breakout from the camp.

Based largely on real events, this film has assumed classic status over the years and its easy to understand why. Quite simply, it excells in many departments. Director John Sturges was at the height of his creative powers and he keeps a firm grip on the proceedings. Although the film runs close to three hours it never feels sluggish, while at the same time winding up the tension gradually and developing the characters. The production design is first rate, to the point where Donald Pleasance (who had been a P.O.W.) felt quite intimidated by the vast set on his arrival. Daniel Fapp's beautiful photography shows this and the picturesque German locations off to full effect. Put these virtues together with a good script, inspired casting and a classic score by Elmer Bernstein, and you have an object lesson in how to create an intelligent and exciting big budget adventure film.

On the subject of the cast; Much is made of Steve McQueen's role. While I am a huge McQueen fan, I feel that some of the other performances are equal to, if not better than his. Richard Attenborough, James Garner, Donald Pleasance, Charles Bronson and Gordon Jackson are all excellent. Good too are James Coburn, James Donald, David McCallum and Hannes Messemer as the sympathetic Commandant.

This is one of those films that I can happily watch time and time again. In September of this year a new print was screened at the NFT in London as part of an 'Attenborough at 80' season. It was a pleasure to see this on the big screen at last. For the most part the print was in very good condition. The DVD was one of the first that I ever bought some three and a half years ago, and I watched its inevitable Christmas screening on BBC2 last night. I just never tire of it. In these days of brainless, poorly executed action fodder, its a joy to behold something that hits its targets so precisely.