I watched this mamouth 172min film yesterday. The film is about how several hundered prisoners of war are transported to a new prison facility in an attempt to keep all the escape artists in one high security place.
The prisoners quickly hatch a plan to escape via Tom, Dick and Harry; three tunnels aiming out of the camp.
Some of the ideas are pretty amazing, including managing to sort out civilian clothes for some 250 people, magicing chocolate out of thin air and having tea readily available. . . .
You have seen this before when we rented the video one Christmas many years ago. Did any of the film seem strangely familiar? Have you just watched the original or a remake?
I watched the Steve McQueen version. I believe this is the original. I did not know there was a remake!
I don't remember any of the film as such. I remember the famous stunt scene at the end where McQueen jumps the barbed wire fence on a bike. That was very cool. I am sure that he actually did his own stunts too. Brave and or foolish. . .
I love this film. Even though I've seen is dozens of times, I'm still hooked until the end. Will they find the tunnels? Will they escape the Gestapo squads chasing them? Will they bluff their way past the guards on the station? I'll have to give it .
Steve McQueen did do his own motorbike stunts. I think he was a little bit of a speed freak, so he probably loved doing them! Interesting fact, he actually played one of the Germans chasing himself during the motorcycle chase!
Nothing says "romance" like a kidnapped injured woman!
I have watched this film three times and listened to the eulogising that it forces out of people but I still think it is boring. It is not that good a film. Its pace is slow. The main actors aren't exactly doing oscar winning performances. The stunts, apart from the motor bike ones, are fairly pathetic. I should like a film like this but I don't. In my opinion, it lacks something, well, quite a lot of things actually.
i quite like this film though it does drag a bit. a good mcqueen film to see is bullet - which the classic playstation game driver took its inspirsation from.
Now Bullet is a good film. I don't hate The Great Escape, I just don't particularly like it, it doesn't interest me and intrigue me in a way that makes me feel 'I've got to stop everything I'm doing because I have to watch it and sod the loo I'll just hold on'.
The fact is I will probably watch it again in another five years because it is on and there is nothing better to do but I still won't watch it intently, I'll do a jigsaw or something like that and have it on in the background.
there are very few films i stop everything else just so i can watch - i think the last time that happened was for another run through 'airplane!' a film too funny ignore
rating.
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