The Great Escape
Thriller, War
MGM / UA  (1963) 168 mins NR

8.4 (48,530 votes) Top 250: #87
In 1943, the Germans opened Stalag Luft North, a maximum security prisoner-of-war camp, designed to hold even the craftiest escape artists. In doing so, however, the Nazis unwittingly assembled the finest escape team in military history....

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Cast and Crew
Steve McQueen  ......  Capt. Hilts "The Cooler King"
Richard Attenborough  ......  Squadron Leader Roger Bartlett "Big X"
James Garner  ......  Flight Lt. Hendley "The Scrounger"
James Coburn  ......  Flying Officer Louis Sedgwick "The Manufacturer"
Charles Bronson  ......  Flight Lt. Danny Velinski "The Tunnel King"
Donald Pleasence  ......  Flight Lt. Colin Blythe "The Forger"
Director  .....  John Sturges
Producer  .....  John Sturges; James Clavell
Writer  .....  Paul Brickhill; James Clavell
Notes
Goofs:
Continuity: When the Commandant first confronts Hilts for crossing the wire, he is not wearing his "Blue Max" medallion. But when he turns around to confront Ives immediately after, the medallion is around his neck. (more)

Trivia:
The real-life escape preparations involved 600 men working for well over a year. The escape did have the desired effect of diverting German resources, including a doubling of the number of guards after the Gestapo took over the camp from the Luftwaffe. (more)

Filming Locations:
Bavaria Filmstudios, Geiselgasteig, Grünwald, Bavaria, Germany (more)

Quotes:
[on some materials he's using for escape clothes]
Bartlett: Where in God's name did you get these?
Griffith 'Tailor': Hendley.
Bartlett: Well, where did he get them?
Griffith 'Tailor': Well, I asked him that.
Bartlett: What did he say?
Griffith 'Tailor': "Don't ask."
(more)

Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 4 nominations (more)