The Great Escape

1963
Approved
2h 52m

IMDb RATING

8.2/10

263K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

Play trailer3:09

Period Drama Prison Drama War Epic Adventure Drama Thriller War

Allied prisoners of war plan for several hundred of their men to escape from a German camp during World War II.Allied prisoners of war plan for several hundred of their men to escape from a German camp during World War II.Allied prisoners of war plan for several hundred of their men to escape from a German camp during World War II.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

8.2/10

263K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

2,762

373

See production info at IMDbPro

Top rated movie #155

Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 3 wins & 12 nominations total

Videos9

Trailer 2:42

The Great Escape

Clip 1:59

The Great Escape: Ives' Escape Attempt

Clip 1:25

The Great Escape: Twenty Feet Short

Clip 1:56

The Great Escape: Baseball

Clip 1:36

The Great Escape: Cooler

Photos804

+ 796

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
One day, the police in the German town where this movie was shot set up a speed trap near the set. Several members of the cast and crew were caught, including Steve McQueen. The Chief of Police told McQueen "Herr McQueen, we have caught several of your comrades today, but you have won the prize (for the highest speeding)." McQueen was arrested and briefly jailed.

Goofs
Timbers are needed to hold back thousands of pounds of dirt from a tunnel collapse. The three feet long, 1/2 inch thick pieces taken from the bed frames shown used in the tunnel could not withstand the weight. However documentary interviews and excavation of the actual Stalag Luft 3 site, shows that the films depiction of the tunnel's construction was accurate. While the material used may not have been adequate for a professional tunnel or mine, they were apparently adequate for the task and some are still holding up the tunnel even now.

Quotes
Von Luger: It looks, after all, as if you will see Berlin before I do.

Alternate versions
Some TV versions edit the scene in which Ives is shot and killed for trying to escape over the fence.

Connections
Edited into Return to 'the Great Escape' (1993)

User reviews463

Review

Featured review

Great Movie

This film does take a few libertys with facts, there were no Americans involved in the escape, though some helped plan it, and where transferred to another camp at the last moment.This film though is about heroes and the spirit of freedom.T he film belongs to McQueen who is just fantastic to watch the camera loved him and I believe one day he will jump that fence.The rest of the cast are particurlarly good, the scene where the forger is told he can't escape is moving especially when James Garner volunteers to look after him.The James Garner character is roll model for me I always try to scrounge things.Simply watch and enjoy a truly great movie you will laugh and then feel down. I give this movie 8/10