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The Great Escape
starring: Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough, Charles Bronson, Donald Pleasence
directed by: John Sturges

List Price: $14.98

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Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Audience Rating: Unrated
Binding: DVD
Brand: TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT
EAN: 9780792838401
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Letterboxed, Widescreen, NTSC
ISBN: 0792838408
Label: MGM (Video & DVD)
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
Number Of Items: 1
Picture Format: Letterbox
Publisher: MGM (Video & DVD)
Region Code: 1
Release Date: March 31, 1998
Running Time: 172 minutes
Sales Rank: 7081
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Theatrical Release Date: July 04, 1963

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Editorial Review:

Description:
In 1943, the Germans opened Stalag Luft North, a maximum-security prisoner-of-war camp, designed tohold even the craftiest escape artists. In doing so, however, the Nazis unwittingly assembled the finest escape team in military historybrilliantly portrayed here by Steve McQueen, James Garner, Charles Bronson and James Coburnwho worked on what became the largest prison breakout ever attempted. One of the most ingenious and suspenseful adventure films of all time, The Great Escape is a masterful collaboration between director John Sturges (The Magnificent Seven), screenwriters James Clavell (Shogun) and W.R. Burnett (Little Caesar), and composer Elmer Bernstein. Based on a true story, The Great Escape is epic entertainment that 'entertains,captivates, thrills and stirs' (Variety).

Amazon.com essential video:
A stirring example of courage and the indomitable human spirit, for many John Sturges's The Great Escape is both the definitive World War II drama and the nonpareil prison escape movie. Featuring an unequalled ensemble cast in a rivetingly authentic true-life scenario set to Elmer Bernstein's admirable music, this picture is both a template for subsequent action-adventure movies and one of the last glories of Golden Age Hollywood. Reunited with the director who made him a star in The Magnificent Seven, Steve McQueen gives a career-defining performance as the laconic Hilts, the baseball-loving, motorbike-riding 'Cooler King.' The rest of the all-male Anglo-American cast--Dickie Attenborough, Donald Pleasance, James Garner, Charles Bronson, David McCallum, James Coburn, and Gordon Jackson--make the most of their meaty roles (though you have to forgive Coburn his Australian accent). Closely based on Paul Brickhill's book, the various escape attempts, scrounging, forging, and ferreting activities are authentically realized thanks also to technical advisor Wally Flood, one of the original tunnel-digging POWs. Sturges orchestrates the climax with total conviction, giving us both high action and very poignant human drama. Without trivializing the grim reality, The Great Escape thrillingly celebrates the heroism of men who never gave up the fight. --Mark Walker

Customer Reviews

Average Rating: out of 5 stars

Rating:

- Entertaining war yarn
This is one of the best yarns ever made based on WWII, taut screenplay, great acting, no sidetracking heroines and not a dull moment. I am surprised at some negative reviews calling it a 'joke' and such. The movie is an entertainer. If you want serious stuff related to the Holocaust go watch Schindler's list and hundreds of other documentaries made. The movie does what it is supposed to do, entertainment with an underlying conscience/awareness attached of the seriousness of the basic story.

Rating:

- Entertainment but not True in the strict sense of the word!
This is one of the great films of all time, and a perennial Christmas favourite but I would suggest before anyone gets too over-excited about it being a "true" story, they read the book. Its a sad reflection that fictitious Americans had to be inserted into the film for commercial purposes because the largest target audience of the film wouldn't have the attention span to watch anything not featuring them. The real story is just as dramatic and even more tragic.

Rating:

- Great Adventure Yarn
When rating a book or movie reviewers use many criteria, some of which aren't quite fair. Personally I think books/movies should be rated on the basis of their intrinsic quality not as to how they are formatted or the quality of packaging. That said, I'm about to disobey my own rule...slightly.

'The Great Escape' is a great adventure tale and, on that basis deserves 5 stars. I've rated it 4 stars, though, because the writers/producers/directors have altered the genuine tale to appeal to American viewers. Yes, there was a real-life 'Great Escape' but there were no American participants. The Stalag contained a mixture of Americans and Brits who planned the escape and prepared false papers,clothes, uniforms etc. Unfortunately...or fortunately, depending on your point of view...the Americans were all transferred from the camp prior to the actual escape. The escapees were Brits. In most other details ... Read More

Rating:

- Surprisingly good
I ordered this for my dad's birthday, thinking it would be something he would like and something that I would have no interest in. My brother watched it with him, and then told me that it was really good and that I should watch it.
So I did.
I was very pleasantly surprised - I am not into war-type, adrenaline-laden, "guy" movies, but, even though this could easily fit into any of those categories, I still found it very enjoyable!
Suspense, excitement and drama are balanced with enough character development and ordinary "human moments" to make a very well-made, well-acted movie with memorable characters, touching moments, Steve McQueen's unforgettable motorcycle chase, and, of course, The Great Escape!
Highly recommended for anyone who likes good movies, genre notwithstanding.

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