I have seen THE GREAT ESCAPE dozens of times and it's always fun to watch, which remained to be true when it aired this past October on Reel 13. In spite of how often I'd seen it, I had forgotten that it was based on a true story, which makes it all the more remarkable.
I think the element that most makes THE GREAT ESCAPE work is the level of detail, the great pains that director John Sturges (in his third Reel 13 film this year) takes to display how things work – from how they forge the IDs to how they get the wood to support the tunnel to how they dispose of all the dirt they dig up without arousing suspicion. The more information we have as a viewer, the more engaged we are in the process, as if we were a part of the escape. Initially, it all seems like minutiae, but it adds up. I can't think of a modern film that would take the time to offer such small details. It's unfortunate, too, because it enhances the excitement and interest greatly. Also, for a film that lacks a lot of Sturges' trademark action scenes, it keeps the pace moving and the tone suspenseful.
The film doesn't really require "acting" in the traditional sense from its large all-male cast. For the most part, their characters are composites and as a result, are essentially built around a few basic factoids (i.e. American, pilot, good at scrounging, etc.). This is not a complaint or criticism so much an observation. As I've said, the film works. It's just interesting that it manages to work with mostly two-dimensional characters. They are mostly required to be macho, look cool and offer relevant information for the advancement of the plot. This plays perfectly into the hands of Charisma King Steve McQueen. Other MAGNIFICENT SEVEN alums James Coburn and Charles Bronson amuse themselves by putting on an accent, neither with much success. The latter has a claustrophobia subplot that isn't really effective or interesting. Donald Pleasance is one notable exception as the forger who deals with losing his eyesight. However, perhaps the strongest performance in the film comes from Sir Richard Attenborough as Bartlett or "Big X", the leader of the main escape attempt. While he also has a lot narrative information to convey to the audience, he layers it with the great burden of being a leader of such a dangerous enterprise. Several hundred men rely on him for their freedom and he makes that apparent in Bartlett's face and body language. Similarly, he plays the character as a man who could and would make quick decisions and sacrifices for the good of the mission, regardless of how unpopular they may be. Granted, Attenborough is given the best material in the character of Bartlett, but he doesn't fumble the ball. It's some great work. With that said, it struck me the connection between Big X and a film director. From the way he chose the route, the costumes, the paperwork, but also consulted his men from different "departments", it's as if he were "directing" a film of the escape instead of managing the actual event. (Interestingly enough, Attenborough would go on to be an Oscar-winning film director).
While it would never crack my top fifty films of all-time, THE GREAT ESCAPE is and always was a film I enjoyed thoroughly. Though, in the Sturges' canon, it does not come close to BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK - the masterpiece that I discovered this past April on Reel 13, it is stronger than THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, even though it's more ambitious. As an older and more experienced filmmaker, Sturges meets the challenge of balancing all the elements in THE GREAT ESCAPE e and manages to craft a thrilling adventure story that is and shall remain timeless.
(For more information on this or any other Reel 13 film, check out their website at www.reel13.org)