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Escape from East Berlin

  • 19621962
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 34m
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
558
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Christine Kaufmann and Don Murray in Escape from East Berlin (1962)
  • Drama
  • History
  • Thriller
In 1962, a group of East Berliners escapes to West Berlin through a tunnel dug from the basement of a house located near the Berlin Wall.In 1962, a group of East Berliners escapes to West Berlin through a tunnel dug from the basement of a house located near the Berlin Wall.In 1962, a group of East Berliners escapes to West Berlin through a tunnel dug from the basement of a house located near the Berlin Wall.
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
558
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Robert Siodmak
  • Writers
    • Gabrielle Upton(story)
    • Peter Berneis(story)
    • Millard Lampell
  • Stars
    • Don Murray
    • Christine Kaufmann
    • Werner Klemperer
Top credits
  • Director
    • Robert Siodmak
  • Writers
    • Gabrielle Upton(story)
    • Peter Berneis(story)
    • Millard Lampell
  • Stars
    • Don Murray
    • Christine Kaufmann
    • Werner Klemperer
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 17User reviews
    • 9Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos24

    Christine Kaufmann and Don Murray in Escape from East Berlin (1962)
    Christine Kaufmann in Escape from East Berlin (1962)
    Christine Kaufmann in Escape from East Berlin (1962)
    Christine Kaufmann in Escape from East Berlin (1962)
    Christine Kaufmann and Don Murray in Escape from East Berlin (1962)
    Christine Kaufmann in Escape from East Berlin (1962)
    Christine Kaufmann and Don Murray in Escape from East Berlin (1962)
    Escape from East Berlin (1962)
    Christine Kaufmann in Escape from East Berlin (1962)
    Escape from East Berlin (1962)
    Ingrid van Bergen in Escape from East Berlin (1962)
    Christine Kaufmann and Don Murray in Escape from East Berlin (1962)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Don Murray
    Don Murray
    • Kurt Schröderas Kurt Schröder
    Christine Kaufmann
    Christine Kaufmann
    • Erika Jurgensas Erika Jurgens
    Werner Klemperer
    Werner Klemperer
    • Walter Brunneras Walter Brunner
    Ingrid van Bergen
    Ingrid van Bergen
    • Ingeborg Schröderas Ingeborg Schröder
    Carl Schell
    Carl Schell
    • Major Eckhardtas Major Eckhardt
    Edith Schultze-Westrum
    Edith Schultze-Westrum
    • Mother Schröderas Mother Schröder
    Bruno Fritz
    • Uncle Albrechtas Uncle Albrecht
    Maria Tober
    • Margaas Marga
    Horst Janson
    Horst Janson
    • Günther Jurgensas Günther Jurgens
    Kai Fischer
    Kai Fischer
    • Heidi Eckhardtas Heidi Eckhardt
    Alfred Balthoff
    • Klussendorf - a Neighboras Klussendorf - a Neighbor
    Anita Kupsch
    Anita Kupsch
    • Bambias Bambi
    Kurt Waitzmann
    • Prof. Thomas Jurgensas Prof. Thomas Jurgens
    Helma Seitz
    Helma Seitz
    • Frau Jürgensas Frau Jürgens
    Ronald Dehne
    • Helmut Schröderas Helmut Schröder
    Arne Elsholtz
    • Lemkeas Lemke
    Georg Bastian
    • Tillerman - a Volpo (East German Police)as Tillerman - a Volpo (East German Police)
    Waltraut Runze
    • Marga Wegeneras Marga Wegener
    • (as Waltraut Runze-Waitzmann)
    • Director
      • Robert Siodmak
    • Writers
      • Gabrielle Upton(story)
      • Peter Berneis(story)
      • Millard Lampell
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      East German police on patrol boats tried to disrupt filming by shining searchlights at the cameras. Director Robert Siodmak assembled a decoy crew to distract the East Germans and filmed the scene along the canal a short distance away.
    • Goofs
      When Kurt first meets Walter at the garage, there is a moving shadow of the boom microphone on a wall cabinet in the background.
    • Quotes

      Uncle Albrecht: Off to band practice. We are marching in the celebration parade. I don't know what we're celebrating, but we are marching.

    • Connections
      Referenced in Der Tunnel (1999)

    User reviews17

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    Escaping Life Behind The Berlin Wall
    Based on the true story of an actual escape under the Berlin Wall, "Escape Form East Berlin" is a sometimes slow moving film that does manage to capture a bit of the atmosphere of the time. It was, of course, the height of the Cold War, with the Communists having built a wall dividing the Soviet occupied East Berlin, from the rest of the city, which was occupied by the British, French and Americans. The viewer certainly gets the point that paranoia is called for in East Berlin. There are guards and soldiers everywhere, and people have to be careful who they talk to and what they talk about. Even one's own family isn't necessarily going to keep confidences. The opening scenes are of an attempt to smash a truck through the wall, and the fate of the driver leaves us with no doubt that the Communist guards were quite willing to kill to ensure that no one escaped their socialist paradise. That atmosphere was captured well, although there was surprisingly little direct political commentary, aside from a few sarcastic comments on the lips of some of the characters about the "benefits" of a planned economy.

    The movie mostly revolves around the effort to build a tunnel from the basement of a house near the Wall to the West. The main character is Kurt (Don Murray) - the driver to an East German major and his wife - who befriends the sister of the man killed in the opening escape attempt, and who (not realizing that her brother is dead) wants to join him in the west. Others find out about the plan and join in, and eventually there are 28 people who want to make their way through the tunnel. The last few minutes of the movie are quite suspenseful, as East German authorities try desperately to stop the escape attempt.

    This is certainly a propaganda film. That much is obvious. It's also obvious that it was made pretty quickly. The actual escape on which it's based had only taken place a few months before the movie had its debut. Aside from Murray and Werner Klemperer, most of the cast are better known for their work in European films. It's a little bit uneven, but it's also an interesting portrayal of life behind the Berlin Wall. (6/10)
    helpful•5
    1
    • sddavis63
    • Sep 10, 2016

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 1962 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • West Germany
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Escape from Berlin
    • Filming locations
      • Berliner Union-Film, Oberlandstraße 26-35, Tempelhof, Berlin, Germany
    • Production companies
      • Walter Wood Productions
      • Hans Albin Filmproduktion
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 34 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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