Friday, February 08, 2008

Movie review - "The Great Escape" (1963) *****

Brilliant escape-from-prison, one of the best films of the 60s, full of terrific performances and thrilling sequences. I've seen it a number of times including on the big screen at 2013 MIFF and it holds up well - in part because of location filming in Germany, in part because so many of the cast and crew were in the army (some being POWS) giving it authenticity, in part because of the story, which actually happened and has tragic overtones which means it avoids the jolly-japes-just-like-school-ness of some 50s British POW movies.

Although Steve McQueen became a bona fide star when the movie was released he wasn't that massive when it was made, so it's more of an ensemble piece. I was struck how many people get a story: of course there's McQueen's legendary Hilts, constantly in the cooler, banging his baseball and speeding on a motorbike (it's fun to spot the scenes added on to the movie to make his part bigger, but it's well done); but there's also Richard Attenborough's escape chief, traumatised by unspoken things in his past; Charles Bronson's nervous wreck miner; Donald Pleasance's nerdy forger, who likes bird watching and is only in prison because he went on a joyflight; Gordon Jackson's loyal lieutenant, head of security who fatally trips up; David McCallum's sacrificial soldier, the man in charge of soil distribution (imagine telling the kids that - "I was into hiding dirt" - but he gets his own scene where he shows how to get rid of it plus a heroic death); James Coburn's knockabout performance as an Aussie - totally right in spirit, with dialogue to match (was this James Clavell?) but so way off with the accent; James Garner's scrounger.

But even smaller parts get a chance to shine: McQueen's cooler mate who goes ga-ga; Bronson's best friend (lover); the decent camp commandant who is no fan of the Nazis; Nigel Stock's surveyor who is really responsible for the whole thing going haywire (he misjudges the length of the tunnel and also trips up noisily trying to escape - but he is given a wife and kids and a death); the guard who was a member of the scouts in peacetime and is seduced by Garner; even the camp wardrobe guy who takes such pride in his work.

It's a really good script, juggling all those plots, delineating characters - I know it took a bunch of writers to come up with it (including an uncredited Walter Newman), but the effort was worth it.

The acting for the most part is superb: McQueen is all integrity and coiled dynamism (even if you know what - that final bike stunt isn't that awesome); Attenborough conveys trauma, intelligence and sadness (Attenborough is slightly apologetic in his scenes with McQueen, as if aware of his comparative lack of box office pull); Jackson has craggy strength and Bronson is excellent. James Garner is a bit TV; James Donald plays again the "survivor of it all" like he did in Bridge on the River Kwai.

There are no speaking roles for women but there are lots of love stories - McQueen and his Scottish mate, Bronson and his fellow miner, Donald Pleasance and Garner (the most touching for me, with Garner befriending the blind forger), Attenborough and Jackson. This gives the movie a real emotional core and ensure the deaths are deeply felt.

The Germans are formidable opponents, the ending is powerful and Elmer Bernstein's theme song has rarely been bettered. Occasionally there's a little repetition in the dialogue but that's a small flaw in a wonderful movie.

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