The Great Escape (film)

For the 2023 film, see The Great Escaper. For the real-life event on which the film was based, see Stalag Luft III.

The Great Escape
Theatrical release poster by Frank McCarthy
Directed byJohn Sturges
Screenplay by
Based onThe Great Escape
by Paul Brickhill
Produced byJohn Sturges
Starring
CinematographyDaniel L. Fapp
Edited byFerris Webster
Music byElmer Bernstein
Production
company
Distributed byUnited Artists
Release dates
  • June 20, 1963 (1963-06-20) (London)
  • July 4, 1963 (1963-07-04) (United States)
Running time
172 minutes
CountryUnited States
Languages
  • English
  • German
  • French
Budget$3.8 million[1]
Box office$11.7 million

The Great Escape is a 1963 American epic historical war adventure film[2] starring Steve McQueen, James Garner and Richard Attenborough and featuring James Donald, Charles Bronson, Donald Pleasence, James Coburn, Hannes Messemer, David McCallum, Gordon Jackson, John Leyton and Angus Lennie. It was filmed in Panavision, and its musical score was composed by Elmer Bernstein.

Based on Paul Brickhill's 1950 non-fiction book of the same name, the film depicts a heavily fictionalized version of the mass escape by British Commonwealth prisoners of war from German POW camp Stalag Luft III during the Second World War. The film made numerous compromises for its commercial appeal, including its portrayal of American prisoners' involvement in the escape.

The Great Escape was made by The Mirisch Company, released by United Artists, and produced and directed by John Sturges. The film had its Royal World Premiere at the Odeon Leicester Square in London's West End on 20 June 1963.[3] The Great Escape received critical acclaim and emerged as one of the highest-grossing films of the year, winning McQueen the award for Best Actor at the Moscow International Film Festival,[4] and is considered a classic.[5] The film is also noted for its motorcycle chase and jump scene, which is considered one of the best stunts ever performed.[6][7][8]

  1. ^ Balio, Tino (1987). United Artists: The Company That Changed the Film Industry. University of Wisconsin Press. p. 174. ISBN 978-0-299-11440-4.
  2. ^ "The Great Escape (1963) - John Sturges; Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related". AllMovie. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  3. ^ "The Great Escape, premiere". The Times. London. June 20, 1963. p. 2.
  4. ^ "1963 year". Moscow International Film Festival. Archived from the original on December 3, 2017. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
  5. ^ Eder, Bruce (2009). "Review: The Great Escape". AllMovie. Macrovision Corporation. Archived from the original on July 31, 2012. Retrieved October 14, 2009.
  6. ^ Adams, Derek (September 11, 2012). "The Great Escape". Time Out. Archived from the original on December 3, 2017. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
  7. ^ Kim, Wook (February 16, 2012). "Top 10 Memorable Movie Motorcycles – The Great Escape". TIME. Archived from the original on December 3, 2017. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
  8. ^ McKay, Sinclair (December 24, 2014). "The Great Escape: 50th anniversary". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on December 3, 2017. Retrieved December 3, 2017.