Tag: POW

The Great Escape (1951)

by Derelict Space Sheep on April 20, 2017 in 42 Word Retrospectives • 0 Comments

The Great Escape

by Paul Brickhill (Faber & Faber, 1951)

Brickhill’s eyewitness description of the infamous tunnel break from German POW camp Stalag Luft III — enshrined still further by the film of 1963 — remains a sincere and clearly written record, and a lasting testament to its protagonists’ spirit, ingenuity and sheer perseverance.

42 Word Retrospective: The Great Escape dir. John Sturges

by Derelict Space Sheep on July 12, 2015 in 42 Word Retrospectives • 0 Comments

The Great Escape

dir. John Sturges (1963)

Whereas old movies often seem ponderously dated to modern viewers, this World War II POW drama uses pacing to good advantage and — half a century on, no less — remains a genuine classic: an ensemble cast tour de force of British film actors.