I really liked The Great Escape.
I recognized James Coburn from the movie where he is drunk on a horse in the film Cat Ballou,
and David McCallum from the TV show NCIS.
*********spoiler*******
I thought McQueen was going to escape but he ended up back in the "coolerr"
ONE OF THE ALL TIME GREATS...I SAW IT ON THE BIG SCREEN WITH MY DAD WHEN I WAS IN MY TEENS.THE LOCAL ARTHOUSE THEATER DOES CLASSICS OCCASIONALLY,OR AT LEAST THEY DID...THE GREAT ESCAPE IS A MASTERPIECE WITH A STACKED CAST.MCQUEEN AS THE COOLER KING IS JUST SUBLIME...I HAVE A COOLER KING TSHIRT HANGING ON MY WALL..NOT MY SIZE,I BOUGHT IT JUST TO HANG,I ALSO HAVE STEVE MCQUEEN ON THE MOTOTCYCLE WITH THE GERMAN SIGN FULL SIZE POSTER ON MY WALL...
shareAbout a decade ago, I was lucky enough to host a Toastmasters presentation by one of the prisoners who participated in the Great Escape. His entire story... from getting shot down, to evading German foot patrols before finally being captured and helping to dig the tunnel... was fascinating. He was a good speaker.
As he explained, there were no Americans at the POW camp. Otherwise, the movie was pretty accurate as far as the actual plan, the escape and the aftermath in which the escapees were executed. Fortunately, he was not selected to be one of the escapees. His role was to act as a penguin, one of the guys who distributed the dug up dirt around the yard via linings in his pants.
His story had an epilogue not featured in the movie. The camp's commandant was ashamed of the actions of the SS for executing the prisoners which went against the 'rules of war'. He eventually was taken prisoner and was awaiting his trial after the war when some of the surviving prisoners tried to see him, to ease his guilt by explaining that they bore him no ill will for what happened. He was still so filled with guilt that he refused to see them.
THATS VERY COOL...I READ IN ONE OF MCQUEEN'S BIOGRAPHIES THAT THE MOVIE NEEDED A TOUCH OF AMERICAN STAR POWER SO THE FUDGED THAT A BIT.
shareYou've confused actor James Coburn with Lee Marvin who played the drunk in Cat Ballou.
Also, LOLd at your spoiler alert... the movie is almost 60 years old. Everyone knows Steve McQueen doesn't escape.
It's good, but I never considered it one of the 'great' WW2 adventure movies. More of a 'Guns of Navarone' or 'Where Eagles Dare' kind of guy.
shareThis was a very good and a very popular movie for its time. There was a lot more characterization and did not suffer from having to have massive battle scenes in it. The teamwork and camaraderie between the Allies was inspiring. After I saw it as a kid I read the book, and the book was great too.
This sticks out as much better than many of the movies of its time ... Dirty Dozen, Devil's Brigade, Von Ryan's Express. The movies with lots of action and adventure never really get going because there is so little time and it all revolves around the battles. I just saw Midway, and it was a mess. They try to have a personal story and then tell about the battle, but they end up failing on both counts.
I assume you probably liked Saving Private Ryan?
Yes, and it's funny you mention it but I actually liked Von Ryan's Express a little more than this.
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