The Great Escape Reviewed by Bruce Cantwell The Great Escape hit me at an early age and I'll readily admit that it's the best boy's movie of all time (I think the theme of Treasure of the Sierra Madre broadens its appeal to both sexes and North by Northwest's romantic subplot is a tad mushy for prepubescents). What boy can't identify with a group of unruly captured soldiers gathered together in one high security prison camp with the sworn duty to be as disruptive to the enemy as possible? I called it sixth grade. Shortly after the trucks roll into the brand new prison camp, battle lines are drawn between Kommandant Von Luger (Hannes Messemer) and Ramsey (James Donald) the Officer's Representative. To reduce the havoc this band of escape artists has made, the Germans they have all of their rotten eggs in one basket, a specially designed high-security prison camp. Von Luger respects his guests as peers and will make them comfortable if they oblige him by staying put. Ramsey accepts the spirit of Von Luger's offer but remind himthat it's his men's sworn duty to escape. This clear-cut story line creates a thoroughly accessible microcosm for the War. Von Luger is unenthusiastic about his cause but duty bound. Ramsey is sympathetic to Von Luger's position but must beg to differ. Each will play by the rules while trying to outsmart the other. John Sturges directs a cast with plenty of star power: Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, James Garner, Richard Attenborough, James Coburn and David McCallum, but by focusing on the complex and ingenious details of the real life escape operation (a massive, three tunnel operation) the stars all fall into their places in the ensemble rather than playing out individual story lines. While sacrificing Hollywood stardom to the nuts and bolts of a true story, James Clavell and W.R. Burnett's screenplay isn't shy about dramatic license. The film's major turning point masterfully juxtaposes a mood of comic high jinks and celebration with cataclysmic misfortune and death. The film is punctuated by moments of quiet heroism that seem truly unforced when played out against Elmer Bernstein's heroic, ironic score. Three unforgettable sequences are the Independence Day moonshine celebration, the nail-biting escape sequence and Steve McQueen's hair-raising motorcycle chase.

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