Watching the filmography of Steve McQueen, who ended up being more of a racer than an actor, I decided to give the iconic Big Escape a second chance. For Americans, this film is akin to our "Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed" or "Seventeen Moments of Spring." He is considered a real classic of Hollywood and a symbol of the free American spirit.
That at the first view, that now, after looking at about 10 minutes, I began to notice the absurdity of what was happening. A new batch of American prisoners is brought to a German POW camp, but they are treated as if they were coming to a summer camp. Everyone calmly walks through the territory under the cheerful accompaniment of the orchestra, a couple of guys try to escape in the most stupid way, without incurring any punishment when caught, Steve McQueen in a stylish leather jacket plays ball with a baseball glove and is furiously unhappy when he is not allowed to pick it up after an unsuccessful throw. Everyone has personal belongings with them, they communicate calmly, discussing both past escape attempts and future ones. It feels like I’m watching a Soviet comedy about dumb Americans being held captive by even dumber Germans, designed to mock the Western Front’s contribution to World War II. And this is only the first 10 minutes of the film, further footage further inflames the ravings of what is happening.
I have heard that the Germans treated the Western prisoners of war better than the Eastern prisoners, but I doubt that the conditions of detention were the same. Even if we abstract from reality, imagine that this is an artistic fiction and show us an ordinary civilian prison, the situation does not become less absurd.
And then I had an interesting idea. At the beginning of the zeros, a guy of unknown pedigree wanted to make a dramatic film. He wrote the script for a long time, connected to all this a comrade whom he had met a few hours ago, and everything burned out. As a result, the world saw the film “Room” authored by Tommy Wiseau. I don’t need to explain what the movie is or what it’s known for. Tommy wanted to make a drama, but it turned out to be a real comedy. What I'm saying is that the Great Escape is essentially the Room of its time. Sturges and others wanted to make a dramatic film about the escape of American soldiers from a German concentration camp, based on real events, and eventually made an absurd comedy in the style of Gaidai. The irony is that Wiseau was mortified for his film and turned everything he worked on into a meme, and The Big Escape became a legend that is still played on American television at Christmas.
I have nothing to say about acting. A whole galaxy of famous and talented personalities did not show anything interesting. Although, to be honest, when watching it, I sometimes had the idea that maybe some of them knew what absurdity they were filming, so they played funny clowns on purpose. Well, Steve McQueen, as always, brilliantly rolled on the road, in this he was really good.
Musical accompaniment is the most common. Although I want to highlight a beautiful cheerful melody, under which the fearless McQueen every time walked into the punishment cell to spend time there alone with his favorite baseball glove.
The technical component is also standard. The second half of the film pleases with beautiful views of Europe, but this is more the merit of Mother Nature than the film crew.
The only thing to thank this film for is its contribution to the world of cinema and art in general. “The Big Escape” inspired a huge number of creators, became the father of many films, spawned many script moves and chips. In my humble opinion, this is the only plus of this incomplete. On the other hand, if this film didn’t exist, there might have been something better in its place.
In general, it says a lot about the film industry, if such a slag is considered one of the greatest films in history.
It is believed that if you really love cinema and treat it not as entertainment, but as art, then you should watch a certain list of films. These lists are compiled by eminent critics or marked by the love of the audience. Every year there are more and more films, everything is impossible to view, and it is very difficult to study the entire filmography from the 20s of the last century to the 2000s. So these lists help me to see the real masterpieces.
The painting “The Great Escape” appears in many such lists. I was very surprised when I saw this movie and was disappointed.
I have never seen so many good, sweet and kind fascists anywhere, not even in Triumph of the Will. Here they are shown rather as harsh parents who do not let their children go for a walk. The Germans give their prisoners of war the most comfortable conditions: clean new clothes, tea, fresh vegetables. It's all open access. In addition, there are entertainment, such as gardening, baseball, holidays. You can run away from the house as much as you want, and for this you will be punished and put in a corner. There was only one scene I liked that showed a feud between the SS and the Luftwaffe, but it was more like a parental quarrel. As a result, I look at the main characters and do not believe that they are tired of being captured, that they want to be free.
The music is as optimistic as possible! When GG is taken to the punishment cell over and over again, it becomes a joke! When you think about the true events of the war... No words. However, the melody is very good and easy to remember.
Acting doesn't help either. All actors play the norm... "Normal" is too pretentious a word to describe.
I didn’t believe there would be dark moments in the film. They are so sudden and confusing that you do not have time to feel even a pinch of the grief of war.
As I imagined this movie, on the poster, a light action movie, that's what it is. In the 60s, Hollywood clung to such films. But to make such a film about World War II is only to show your disrespect for the fallen and those to whom this film is dedicated.
6 out of 10
Whenever there were prisons on earth, people fled. But I'm completely amazed at how it's possible to do something like that in The Great Escape. And it turns out to be possible, because the film is not based on the fictions of the writer, but on real events - a fact. More than 600 people were behind steel fences, where slavery and lack of will reigned. Of course, the Germans did not treat the British and the Americans the way they treated the Russians, Jews or Gypsies, but few people like to sit in captivity and obey every word of the enemy, do they? And people tried to take one chance, because waiting for the end of the war is pointless, and John Sturges made a film about these events - a grand 172-minute tape, which is praised and praised to this day. Consultants were real participants of events, the project was managed by competent people, and it was filmed in the 1960s - a great period in Hollywood history.
But not everything is rosy. “The Great Escape” did not receive proper recognition in the years of rental and was awarded warm words only years later. There was a lot to criticize him for. But now many disadvantages have become pluses. I am glad that the filming took place in Europe. Almost completely adapted the facts about history and only a few did not realize for various reasons. The actors coped quite well with their roles, neither more nor less (it is worth remembering that few of them were stars before this work). Steve McQueen was overdoing it, yes. His hero behaves that almost prefix super - give him. But that's probably all. The rest of the minus count is not quite correct. The film is long, but not long, shot completely on the content. It’s not easy just for the duration.
Its peculiarity is a unique story. Mostly before (and now) filmed about specific people, great and famous events, and other creators of triumph over fascism a little forgotten. One of the most famous quotes is “It is our duty to try to escape.” They can’t reclaim lands or save people, but they can undermine the authority of the Nazis, lower their morale, and, if possible, return to their regiments and continue the war. Let not all escape, but even if you manage to escape alone, it is a success. But you have to run away. You don't want to. The title of the movie says nothing until you see it. So also intrigue to the pluses should be added.
In fact, this is a really good and big movie. Not the best, but not the worst Hollywood product. Special thanks to the director for the fact that he decided to create the “Big Escape”, told us this story, which is unlikely many would know years later.
How to turn historical realities into farce. The movie "The Big Escape"
Once a teenager really liked the movie. I decided to reconsider. What a farce. The film is in the style of “Police Academy”, but about the Second World War. Prisoner of War camps were shown as a summer resort with strict but fair service personnel - Germans, and holidaymakers, well-dressed, well-fed, full of strength prisoners of war, mocking these personnel and playing the game "Get out of the camp and get caught back."
One of the worst war movies ever. The high rating can be explained only by the fact that those who left the plus made an impression of him in his deep childhood, at a time when the heavy and gloomy historical reality is not appreciated, but funny comics about heroes are appreciated. This is a comic book, with a lot of templates and stereotypes, bad acting of actors and no script, and not at all about the Second World War, but about the devil knows what reality. Killing time will help.
"To try to run away is our duty!" - Senior British officer Ramsey
In the year of its release and a few years later, the military-historical drama “The Great Escape” (in our country originally came out under the title “The Great Escape”) did not cause much delight among critics, who for the most part called it an adventure spectacle, where heroism is worth mentioning almost with the prefix “super”. It took some time and “The Great Escape” was overrated, in the sense that for many it began to cause only the same delight, delight to such an extent that even the male part of the population in Britain on the eve of the Christmas holidays would first want to see this picture. Well, there may be a different fate for cinema. So what did they not consider first, and then considered the critics in this action, which lasts for almost three hours? I will try to convey, relying on my own emotions received from viewing.
The Great Escape is based on the book by Australian journalist Paul Brickhill, who served in the Australian Air Squad during World War II. Paul Brickhill took his story on the basis of a real escape from a German concentration camp for prisoners of war. The time-consuming and long preparations for the escape, the incredibly large number of participants preparing the escape (according to eyewitnesses there were almost 600 people!) – all this became a legend of patriotism and heroism of the coalition soldiers. However, it is worth mentioning that the role of American prisoners was greatly exaggerated in The Great Escape, while the main work was actually done by the British. Well, the film is American, but how will the Americans in the role of second catching up? They could have branded all the filmmakers as during McCarthyism. But let’s digress from the far-fetched facts in “The Great Escape” and say that this is a real spectacle.
Some of the tricks that the escapees used then became almost an integral part of other escape films. For example, prisoners of war carried the dug up from the tunnel leading to possible freedom in their pockets, so that the guards (they were called “ferrets”) could not notice it. And there are a few other things you can see in The Great Escape, but you can see it for yourself if it catches your attention. An important factor that the "Big Escape" looks with interest was the appearance. Yes, we all know how the Nazis treated the Slavs in concentration camps, but the Americans and the British were treated quite differently, so do not criticize the Great Escape for showing that the camp was a resort, the Americans and the British have a slightly different story in this respect. Therefore, the scenery, platforms, pavilions and places for field shootings were selected with knowledge, because the film had consultants who participated in the preparation of the escape, so the realism was conveyed at a high level.
Well, maybe there are a few snippets that make the movie that adventure and action, like jumping a motorcycle through two walls of Steve McQueen. But the fact is that the actor asked to insert this scene, and knowing the rebellious nature of McQueen, the picture risked losing its main star. Steve McQueen was a rebel, had problems with the law, but became an extreme, and then an actor. With the film “The Great Escape”, he came to recognition, so accurately he embodied the image of a purposeful and never giving up man. Yeah, women would be behind a stone wall. At the same time, I do not detract from the other actors of the film - Richard Attenborough, James Garner, Charles Bronson and Donald Pliens. Each of the actors endowed his character with the necessary character and the necessary qualities so that the viewer could make an impression about each character. To something, and to the acting game should hardly be any claims.
I perfectly understand that our domestic films about heroism during the terrible Second World War are much more valuable and expensive, and I am not going to reduce their dignity, I, like millions of others, love these films. But, let’s say, for fans of the genre of military history, I would still recommend watching The Big Escape, because the film deserves it. It deserves its staging, setting, acting and truly strong drama, which comes to the fore in the finale of the picture. Decide and decide!
Kostya, keep in mind: the head will creep through - everything will creep through... - I know that.
The Great Escape (or the Great Escape) is a creation undoubtedly cultic and significant in cinema. His influence on many films of the genre is indisputable; many directors of subsequent years looked back on this creation, who with uncertainty, who with admiration. Children and teenagers with howls led virtual McQueen on the path to long-awaited freedom. Barely the words “persistence” and “heroism” sounded in the sentence, movie lovers immediately recalled the title of this film. In short, his success is enormous.
Therefore, with timidity and admiration, I will try to briefly analyze this work by John Sturgis and disassemble it into anions and cations.
“The Great Escape” has a pronounced correlation, on the one hand, with war dramas about Nazi camps, on the other – with films about escapes from all kinds of prisons (be it even “Escape from the Chicken Coop” or “Toy Story: The Big Escape” – let’s not offend the animators).
If we compare “The Great Escape” with works on the topic of Nazi camps, we have to sadly follow the example of Zoil, who castigated Homer’s masterpieces. After all, this project is far from the terrible anti-humanism that permeates other films of this sub-genre. And, do not let Spielberg, dare me to compare him with the immortal “Schindler’s List” and “The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas”, but I will venture to push his foreheads with a lesser-known difficulty.
Take Jack Gold's 1987 television project Escape from Sobibor with Rutger Hauer and Alan Arkin. The theme and concept of both films are similar. Yes, the “Big Escape” wins both in the cast and in the person sitting in the director’s chair, and, of course, in fame. But what it lacks is realistic, heart-grabbing drama, humanity, if you will. In turn, “Escape from Sobibor” does not have that common surface, there is no silence, short-sightedness, puppetry, which, alas, are stuffed with Sturges’ work.
Yes, we all know that Western POWs were treated much better than Soviet POWs (to praise the Geneva Conventions) – there is no point in reinventing the wheel. We saw the same bonding of the Germans with the Americans and the British in Hart’s War. The point here is the eternal solipsism of the Western world, which despises the Eastern peoples. But in such diatribes we better not fall...
A serious (and perhaps the only) disadvantage of the film is that with all watching you can not resist an ironic smile. Allies-prisoners of war behave in captivity from the enemy, as if the bones of Inochkin in a pioneer camp: hide from counselors, mischievously steal harch and clothes, scoop, arrange secret meetings. In the intervals between these leprosy, they impassively drink tea, savoring it with chocolate, stagger around the territory with the indifference of vacationers and panibratically communicate with security. And from this “Eagle” and seeks to escape a group of soldiers led by Steve McQueen.
Now the positive. In the Hollywood pantheon of films about escapes, “The Big Escape” (oh, this tautology for me) occupies a leading place (the title of the film with undisguised pathos modestly hints at this). We found that this project does not claim even a slight breath of tragedy. The Nazi camp is just a scenery, like Alcatraz or Shawshank. And here on these scenery with the excitement of thirsty players runs, shoots, chases moonshine (?!), digs, rides motorcycles a kind of dream acting team.
Poor, miserable Germans! Could they have thought they would have half the Magnificent Seven in captivity: Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, and James Coburn? And outside the set, the creator of the “Seven” John Sturges is threateningly watching what is happening? (It’s even lucky that not Kurosov himself, but maybe the “Magnificent Three” would have escaped the Nechura in 2 hours, not 3.)
Summing up the bold line under the above, it is worth saying with steadfastness that, putting aside the already analyzed lack of depth in the film, The Big Escape deserves high praise. Acting group, directing, action scenes, capacious dialogue, good humor level roughness caused only by the Western mentality, but not the lack of cinematic talent. Therefore, the creators of the film “The Great Escape” can be firmly put 9 points out of 10.
At the end of the review, I will add a brief apologist-guidance to movie fans: feeding your eyes, do not forget to drink your soul, otherwise an ulcer will appear. Forgive me for my weakness for allegories. Good luck!
The story doesn't make sense. I think that everyone who reads this review understands that it will be about the escape of American prisoners of war during the Second World War. This film is inextricably linked with the name of Steve McQueen. It was after this film that it became finally clear to everyone - before us is a major movie star, with whom it is impossible not to reckon. The film was an unexpected commercial success.
Meanwhile, the first thing that caught my eye was a very large timekeeping (about 3 hours) with a very slow development of the picture and an average pace. In my opinion, the movie only loses because of this delay.
The second, and in my opinion the most important thing that struck me was the obvious improbability of the film. It is known what torture all prisoners of war, including Americans, had to endure in the camps. Another thing is that at certain stages of the war they may have had preferences.
But on the whole, it is impossible to imagine that a Nazi administration official would be absolutely perplexed to hear a prisoner publicly insult and humiliate him. I think this is impossible even in a simple prison, let alone a camp.
In such films, the formula is simple – the more frightening the Nazis are, the greater the tension. In The Great Escape, the tension is virtually nonexistent – the Nazis are shown to be overly soft-bodied.
However, the viewer probably needed some romanticization of his national hero. This is especially true of historical fact.
So, the movie with Steve McQueen was very useful.
By the way, despite the presence of numerous stars, I think that the film lacked Yul Brynner – McQueen’s partner on John Sturges’ previous film “The Magnificent Seven”. In my opinion, it was the duet of Brynner and McQueen that could neutralize the shortcomings of the film.
In the end: Cinema, which is considered cult in numerous top lists and film directories. Ideals are a very relative thing.
Objectively speaking, the film is incredibly protracted and overly soft (at times, it looks like another story about a comic book hero - not a military action drama).
The only advantage of the film is a wonderful selection of actors. Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, James Coburn... Participation of these actors in any film together simply cannot afford to write negative reviews - even if the film is very far from ideal.
The Great Escape from the Pioneer Camp Quite by accident I found this film and saw famous actors and decided to watch it. I was a little confused by the 3-hour length, but since I love war movies, I decided to do it anyway. From the very beginning, the film is presented as almost documentary, but this is only until the first American officers in military uniforms appear in the frame, with bags on their shoulders, who seem to have come to the pioneer camp for rest. Numerous attempts to escape and no reaction to them from the Germans finally dispel all doubts before us military adventure film. Brightly showed Russian prisoners, which without tears can not look, they look like homeless people from any station, unlike American officers regularly shake off the dust from their military uniforms. An intelligent German colonel (Commander of the camp) reads out the list of prisoners who have escaped from prison for the first time and politely asks not to make any more attempts to escape, and 10 minutes of screen time does not pass as these same prisoners from the list make a series of attempts to escape. And what do you think the reaction of the Germans to this, and almost none of them returned to the stand at all, and a couple of others with an important look of winners went to the so-called punishment cell. After that, preparations for the “Great Escape” begin, forgery of documents without leaving the barracks, several tons of earth from the tunnels imperceptibly scattered around the perimeter of the camp, etc. In my opinion, the most interesting part after the escape, the fugitives try to leave Germany in different ways. In this part there are wiser Germans and rich action and a dramatic ending. What can be said about the film, the words "Legend", "Masterpiece" will be appropriate for American viewers (believe that they won the war), and for our compatriots, I think "A Kind American Film" of the 60s is more suitable, with a lot of then still young famous actors, which you can see if you want. Original