The Great Escape is based on a true story of the escape plan
of British and American soldiers from a German POW camp in the second World War.
The Nazis, in their bid to keep an eye on the most troublesome captured Allied
airmen, put them (their rotten eggs) in one basket. It only allowed some great
escape minds to plan their way out, a classic example of the law of unintended consequences.
Even though the movie is quite long (2hr 47 minuts) and
takes time to develop its characters, it never feels sluggish. It has a star
studded cast including Richard Attenborough (the director of Gandhi), Charles
Bronson, James Garner etc and interestingly, no women. An adaptation of a novel of the same name, the movie
is extremely accurate in technical and engineering details with respect to tunnel
digging. It is well directed, has some outstanding dialogues, and an amazing cinematography, especially the
sequence involving Steve McQueen’s motorcycle ride in the picturesque German
country side.
I have seen 25 movies based on World Wars and in most of
them, the common theme that runs is that the prisoners in German concentration
camps were kept in the most inhuman conditions one can imagine. The Great
Escape is different in that regard. I was surprised to see that the British officers wore their own uniforms, did gardening, or conducted bird watching
sessions during their spare time. Apparently Luftwaffe (the German Air Force)
was much more humane in its treatment of POW as compared to SS or the Gestapo and followed the rules of Geneva Convention.
The movie has all the ingredients of a good, if not a great film. It never stops entertaining, and remains thoroughly enjoyable throughout its duration.
