The Great Escape

My Dad sent me an e-mail about how much he has always liked this, and for once I agree with him.

While still very Hollywood, it has some great sequences. Something about James Garner and Steve McQueen really stands out when you watch this movie. Somehow they bring a very natural acting style, that none of the other principals have, even their peers that were there own age such as Bronson or Coburn. For example, the bootleg liquor still sequence. All of the actors saying “Wow.” is very stilted, and kitschy, but McQueen brings a less stagy energy to it, that is funny, even though the whole scene and every one else in it are hackneyed. McQueen was already a star from "Wanted: Dead or Alive", but this film was what convinced Hollywood to give him leading roles.

For a more intense experience, though maybe not as "fun", if you’re willing to sit through the pacing and the French subtitles, check out “Le Trou” directed by Jacques Becker. It's the most intense breaking-out-of-prison film I’ve ever seen. The smell of stale persperation, sewer, heavy air, the desperation of the men, exhaustion…everything is fully realized.

Le Trou: Info on this amazing film is here, here, and an interesting article on the use of sound in this film is here. I'll probably mouth off about this on this blog more sometime soon.

The Great Escape: Basics, and the actual historical basis for the characters in this film here (I always thought it was fictional).

McQueen stuff here.