The Great Escape (1963)
Wise Rating 95%
Review Date: 2016, View Date: 2005
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“The Great Adventure! The Great Entertainment!” For once, the ads are right. Almost 3 hours long, “The Great Escape” delivers as the best ensemble movie ever to come out of Hollywood. American and British POW escape artists work together to try breaking out of a Nazi prison camp built specifically for them. Some of the most charismatic actors of the era put their hearts and souls into their performances here— “Super-Cool” Steve McQueen, British actor Richard Attenborough, tough guy James Coburn, and macho dude Charles Bronson, who in real-life was as claustrophobic as the character he portrayed. Based on a true story, It’s fascinating how the crazy, nail-biting details of the movie’s escape attempts are actually true.