Watch Great Escape: The Untold Story

Great Escape: The Untold Story is a war drama film from 2001 that tells the story of the infamous World War II prisoner of war (POW) escape, known as The Great Escape. The movie is directed by Steven Clarke and stars Derek Jacobi, Connor Williams, and Richard Campbell in leading roles. The film takes place during the early 1940s in a German POW camp called Stalag Luft III. The movie opens with an introduction to the camp, its various prisoners, and their rationed living conditions. One of the prisoners, Squadron Leader Roger Bushell (played by Derek Jacobi), is an experienced escape artist who has already attempted several unsuccessful escapes from other camps. In Stalag Luft III, he takes on the task of orchestrating a mass prison breakout, hoping to free over two hundred prisoners.

The story focuses on the extensive planning and execution of the escape. The first part of the film shows how the prisoners start to dig tunnels under the camp without arousing suspicion. The tunnels are dug using homemade tools and are concealed under the bed boards at night. The prisoners hide the dirt in specially made bags that are then disposed of inside the camp or used in the gardens. The movie captures the escape plan in detail, from forging fake identity papers and clothes for the prisoners to devising a signal system to alert the others during the escape.

The second part of the movie follows the actual escape sequence, beginning with the night of the breakout. The tension builds up as the prisoners are shown making their way through the tunnels in absolute darkness. The escape route was full of dangerous obstacles, including a barbed wire fence, minefields, guard towers, and dogs. The film depicts how each prisoner tackles the minefield, overcomes the barbed wire, and outruns the guards in order to make it out of the camp alive.

The Great Escape was a high-risk operation, but this movie tells the story of the men who dared to make it happen. Among their number were American, British, Australian, and Canadian soldiers who showed impressive teamwork, ingenuity, and determination. The movie portrays how these men overcame their rivalries, language barriers, and cultural differences in order to achieve a common goal. Their ingenuity and perseverance are what made this escape one of the most famous in history.

Great Escape: The Untold Story is not just a thrilling story of escape but also a commentary on the true cost of war. The movie highlights the psychological toll of being a prisoner of war, including the isolation, loneliness, and sense of hopelessness that can come when soldiers are taken captive. It also highlights the brutal reality of war itself and the devastating impact it had on soldiers and civilians alike.

The film also covers the fallout of the Great Escape. Despite the success of the operation, only seventy-six of the prisoners made it out alive, and all but three of those were eventually caught and executed by the Germans. The film shows the sheer scale of the escape operation and its consequences, revealing the anger, sadness, and frustration of the prisoners and their families. It also explores the politics of the time and the reluctance of many leaders to take action in response to the event.

In conclusion, Great Escape: The Untold Story is an impressive wartime film that does an excellent job of capturing the daring and high-stakes nature of one of the most audacious escape attempts in history. The performances of the leading actors are excellent, and the attention to detail regarding the escape plan makes for a thrilling and engaging movie. If you’re a fan of war movies or simply love a great human story of courage and determination, this film is definitely worth watching.