On Sunday, November 10 at 9 p.m., Arte diffuse The great escape. A cult film, based on a significant event of the Second World War.
It's an understatement to say that in 1963, John Sturges was strong. Indeed, with The great escapethe director succeeded in making a difference with the public and critics. Grossing just over five million dollars, quite a sum for its time, the film also elevated Steve McQueen to the status of a bona fide star. Playing the lead role in a feature film for the first time, he teamed up with an established star, Charles Bronson. A duo who put themselves at the service of a scenario based on a true story…
The great escape : The completely crazy plan of two soldiers taken prisoner by the Nazis
The Great Escape takes us to a prison camp, in the middle of World War II, run by the Nazis. Nevertheless, Wehrmacht Commander von Luger, at the head of the camp, is keen to respect the Geneva Conventions. And this, against the advice of the SS, who would like the penitentiary to be harsher. Not really the type to wait until the end of the conflict, the inmates have a plan put in place to escape. Colonel Ramsey and Major Bartlette will mount a perilous operation: digging multiple tunnels to finally escape… A question then arises, will these British soldiers reach their end?
The tragic story behind The great escape
This story is that of Paul Brickhill. Imprisoned in Stalag Luft III, a camp located 150 km southeast of Berlin, this fighter pilot escaped with 300 British and Commonwealth officers in 1943. He was one of only three this escape managed to cross the Swiss border. The Australian, who became a novelist, narrated this episode in The Great Escapepublished in 1950. Other of his works had also been adapted, such as Bader conqueror of the sky et Dam breakers. Note that unlike what we see in The great escapeno prisoner escaped thanks to a motorcycle. An idea straight out of the head of one of the film's stars, passionate about mechanics and speed… Steve McQueen, obviously!
