Blemished by and fed up with the number of prisoner escape attempts, the Nazis round up all Allied soldiers with a history of decampment and lodge them in a maximum security POW camp. Led by the indomitable British officer (Richard Attenborough), an assorted group also group featuring a brash American fighter pilot (James Garner), a Polish tunneling expert (Charles Bronson), a coy manufacturer (James Coburn), a forger losing his vision (Donald Pleasance), and a stoic loner (Steve McQueen) begins almost immediately a daring plan to build three tunnels (named Tom, Dick, and Harry) to lead the entire camp past the fences to freedom. Based on a true story, John Sturges' "The Great Escape" is a rollicking wartime adventure. Lengthy but never longish, Sturges assuredly builds his well told story that pays off with the incredible escape sequence, which is then followed up with one of the great chase sequences as Steve McQueen tries to outrun a band of Germans on his motorcycle. In a cast full of tough guys, McQueen of course oozes steely coolness but James Garner is also quite convincing as the ace pilot. "The Great Escape" is a grand Hollywood entertainment and the kind of film you watch with longing when you realize the cliche holds true that they don't make 'em like they use to.
