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IMDbPro

Stalag 17

  • 19531953
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 2h
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
57K
YOUR RATING
William Holden, Harvey Lembeck, and Robert Strauss in Stalag 17 (1953)
Watch Official Trailer
Play trailer2:05
1 Video
99+ Photos
ComedyDramaWar
After two Americans are killed while escaping from a German P.O.W. camp in World War II, the barracks black marketeer, J.J. Sefton, is suspected of being an informer.After two Americans are killed while escaping from a German P.O.W. camp in World War II, the barracks black marketeer, J.J. Sefton, is suspected of being an informer.After two Americans are killed while escaping from a German P.O.W. camp in World War II, the barracks black marketeer, J.J. Sefton, is suspected of being an informer.
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
57K
YOUR RATING
    • Billy Wilder
  • Writers
    • Billy Wilder(written for the screen by)
    • Edwin Blum(written for the screen by)
    • Donald Bevan(based on the play by)
  • Stars
    • William Holden
    • Don Taylor
    • Otto Preminger
    • Billy Wilder
  • Writers
    • Billy Wilder(written for the screen by)
    • Edwin Blum(written for the screen by)
    • Donald Bevan(based on the play by)
  • Stars
    • William Holden
    • Don Taylor
    • Otto Preminger
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 183User reviews
    • 101Critic reviews
    • 84Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:05
    Watch Official Trailer

    Photos118

    "Stalag 17" Robert Strauss, William Holden and Harvey Lembeck 1953 Paramount
    "Stalag 17" William Holden 1953 Paramount
    "Stalag 17" William Holden and Otto Preminger 1953 Paramount / MPTV
    "Stalag 17" William Holden, Otto Perminger, Don Taylor 1953 Paramount / MPTV
    "Stalag 17" Sig Rumann and William Holden 1953 Paramount / MPTV
    "Stalag 17" Harvey Lembeck, William Holden, Robert Strauss 1953 Paramount / MPTV
    William Holden and Don Taylor in Stalag 17 (1953)
    Janice Carroll, Alla Gursky, Marie Ardell, Zina Dennis, and Irene Bacha in Stalag 17 (1953)
    William Holden and Robert Strauss in Stalag 17 (1953)
    Harvey Lembeck and Robert Strauss in Stalag 17 (1953)
    Harvey Lembeck and Robert Strauss in Stalag 17 (1953)
    Neville Brand, Richard Erdman, Harvey Lembeck, Robert Strauss, and Don Taylor in Stalag 17 (1953)

    Top cast

    Edit
    William Holden
    William Holden
    • Sgt. J.J. Sefton
    Don Taylor
    Don Taylor
    • Lt. James Dunbar
    Otto Preminger
    Otto Preminger
    • Oberst von Scherbach
    Robert Strauss
    Robert Strauss
    • Sgt. Stanislaus 'Animal' Kuzawa
    Harvey Lembeck
    Harvey Lembeck
    • Sgt. Harry Shapiro
    Richard Erdman
    Richard Erdman
    • Sgt. 'Hoffy' Hoffman
    Peter Graves
    Peter Graves
    • Sgt. Frank Price
    Neville Brand
    Neville Brand
    • Duke
    Sig Ruman
    Sig Ruman
    • Sgt. Johann Sebastian Schulz
    Michael Moore
    • Sgt. Manfredi
    Peter Baldwin
    Peter Baldwin
    • Sgt. Johnson
    Robinson Stone
    • Joey
    Robert Shawley
    Robert Shawley
    • Sgt. 'Blondie' Peterson
    William Pierson
    William Pierson
    • Marko the Mailman
    Gil Stratton
    Gil Stratton
    • Sgt. Clarence Harvey 'Cookie' Cook
    • (as Gil Stratton Jr.)
    Jay Lawrence
    • Sgt. Bagradian
    Erwin Kalser
    • Geneva Man
    Edmund Trzcinski
    • 'Triz' Trzcinski
      • Billy Wilder
    • Writers
      • Billy Wilder(written for the screen by)
      • Edwin Blum(written for the screen by)
      • Donald Bevan(based on the play by)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      William Holden never felt he deserved an Oscar for his performance in this film. His wife felt it was to compensate for him not winning for "Sunset Blvd. (1950)."
    • Goofs
      In at least two scenes, German solders are seen using US Browning 30 cal. machine guns; some still think of it as an error, but the use of captured enemy equipment was common by all sides in the war. A POW compound would be the ideal place to locate captured weapons, with a relatively limited ammo supply, whilst they still served to deter escape.
    • Quotes

      Sefton: There are two people in this barracks who know I didn't do it. Me and the guy that did do it.

    • Connections
      Featured in Paramount Presents (1974)
    • Soundtracks
      When Johnny Comes Marching Home
      (1863) (uncredited)

      Written by Louis Lambert

      Played during the opening credits

      Played on a record and sung by the prisoners of war

      Whistled a bit by Gil Stratton at the end

    User reviews183

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    Another WW II POW classic.
    Despite the fact that this movie got made 10 years before the WW II POW classic "The Great Escape", the movie is still known as the 'other' WW II POW movie. While I do admit that "The Great Escpae" is still a better movie than this one ("The Great Escape" is probably one of my favorite all time movies) this movie is a great and classic one as well.

    Just like "The Great Escape", the movie knows to create a perfect balance between its drama and comedy. This movie could easily been turned into a heavy war drama but instead a more light approach gets picked, without loosing any of its serious and more dramatic power. It makes the movie entertaining as well as effectively powerful. It can be assumed that "The Great Escape" and its style got inspired by this movie.

    The movie is a 'great' portrayal of the lives of American officer POW's, in a German stalag. They try to make the best of it, with very limited resources. Every small thing and things that are out of the ordinary are the things that make them go through their days and is what's keeping them alive. The first halve of the movie isn't even about the William Holden character and he is just one of the boys. It isn't after about halve way through the movie that the story takes to take shape and the main plot of the movie becomes obvious. In advance you would just expect from this movie to be one about POW's trying to escape. But the story is way better written and layered than that though.

    But it above all things is also a very well made and especially directed one, by 6 time Academy Award winner Billy Wilder. He also received a directing nomination for this movie. It's a '50's movie but it doesn't feel like one. The movie seems to be ahead of its time with its story handling, directing and just overall style of film-making. The camera-work is especially great and worth mentioning.

    William Holden does a great job at portraying a complicated character. At first you just don't know what to think of him and he isn't a very likable character but he slowly turns into a strong and more important character, that starts doing the right thing. Holden also actually won an Oscar for his role in this movie, despite the fact that he never really wanted to do this movie. It was the only Oscar he ever got, which makes it quite ironic.

    A great powerful, entertaining classic, which was truly ahead of its time.

    10/10

    http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
    helpful•36
    6
    • Boba_Fett1138
    • Jun 27, 2008

    FAQ6

    • Is "Stalag 17" based on a book?
    • Where is the reference to adultery in "Stalag 17"?
    • Why didn't Sefton tell the others the identity of the traitor immediately when he found out?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 1953 (Canada)
      • United States
      • English
      • German
      • Russian
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • John Show Ranch, Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Paramount Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 2 hours
      • Black and White

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