film’s release, not only is the film now on blu-ray for your to enjoy, but Fox has compiled 50 interesting facts about the film, actors, the true story, the novel and more!
In 1943, the Germans opened a maximum-security prison-of-war camp, designed to hold even the craftiest escape artists. By doing so, they unwittingly assembled the finest escape team in military history - brilliantly portrayed by Steve McQueen, James Garner, Charles Bronson, and James Coburn - who worked on what became the largest prison breakout ever attempted. The Blu-ray comes fully loaded with over three hours of special features including commentary with Director John Sturges and crew, multiple making of featurettes, the original theatrical trailer and more.
We've also got a GIVEAWAY going on. That's right, one of you Just Us Girls readers will be able to win a copy of The Great Escape on blu-ray. Check out the facts below and enter the giveaway following. Good luck!
50 Facts for 50 Years
1.
The
film spawned a fictionalized made-for-television sequel in 1988. It starred
Christopher Reeve and Judd Hirsch.
2.
Ferris
Webster was nominated for an Oscar for Best Film Editing for THE
GREAT ESCAPE.
3.
Wally
Floody, the real-life "Tunnel King," served as a consultant to the
filmmakers during production.
4.
The
P.O.W. camp Stalag Luft III opened in April 1942 and the Germans considered it
to be practically escape-proof.
5.
Two
games were released based on the real life event - one by Ocean software in
1986, and another by Eidos in 2003 for PlayStation 2 and Xbox.
6.
During
idle periods in the production schedule, all cast and crew were asked to take
strings of black rubber and knot them around other strings of black rubber. The
finished results of this were the coils and fences of barbed wire seen
throughout the film.
7.
When
filming the train sequences, a railroad representative had to be on hand to tell
the filmmakers when to pull aside to avoid hitting scheduled oncoming trains.
8.
In
real life, none of the prisoners escaped via motorcycle or aircraft.
9.
The
book’s author, Paul Brickhill, participated in the escape plan but was debarred
from the actual escape due to claustrophobia.
10.
Most
of the planes in the airfield are actually American AT-6 Texan trainers, but
painted with a German color scheme.
11.
Actors
Rupert Davies, Cy Grant and Peter Butterworth were all real life prisoners in
Stalag Luft III.
12.
Many
of the prisoners at Stalag Luft III we recaptured escapees.
13.
In
real life, a number of friendly guards helped supply prisoners with railway
timetables, maps, and official papers required to allow them to be forged.
14.
Charles
Bronson had been a coal miner before he started acting – so he brought some
real life experience to the set as the chief tunneler!
15.
Some
TV versions of the film edit the scene in which Ives is shot and killed for
trying to escape over the fence.
16.
James
Garner used his own personal experiences in the military during the Korean War
as inspiration for his “Scrounger” character.
17.
The
film shows almost everything happening in the summer months when, in actuality,
the actual escape occurred in March while there was still snow on the ground.
18.
In
September 1943 the entrance to "Tom" became the 98th tunnel to be
discovered in talag Luft III.
19.
When
the Bavaria Studio's backlot proved to be too small for production, the team
obtained permission from the German government to film in a national forest
adjoining the studio, and reseeded about 2,000 small pine trees after shooting
wrapped!
20.
Author
Paul Brickhill was piloting a Spitfire aircraft that was shot down over Tunisia
in March 1943 when he was taken to Stalag Luft III.
21.
The
motorcycle that Hilts rides is a modified Triumph TR6 Trophy. These British
motorcycle models were not in existence during WWII, and their appearance is
somewhat incongruous!
22.
Aside
from the Triumph, there are a few other historical anachronisms in the film,
including post-war traffic signs, an incorrect railroad logo, and more.
23.
The
film chose to focus on American P.O.W.s, but in actuality, the escapees were
British and Empire personnel. None were actually American!
24.
Bud
Ekins, Steve McQueen’s stunt rider, made his first appearance as a stuntman in THE
GREAT ESCAPE.
25.
The
actual tunneling and escape preparations took 600 men over a year to
accomplish.
26.
Steve
McQueen's character, Hilts, was actually based on amalgamation of several
characters, and not just one person.
27.
The
motorcycle used by Steve McQueen is the same motorcycle Henry Winkler used on
"Happy Days."
28.
Stalag
Luft III was liberated on January 27, 1945. 11,000 remaining prisoners left
that night.
29.
Following
the escape, the Germans took an inventory of the camp and discovered that 4,000
bed boards had gone missing. This was just a fraction of the materials that
were ultimately found to have been used in the escape.
30.
The
gold medallion Steve McQueen wears in the film was a present from his wife.
31.
During
the climatic motorcycle chase, John Sturges allowed Steve McQueen to ride as
one of the pursuing German soldiers. This means that, with some help from the
editors, McQueen was chasing himself!
32.
Seven
P.O.W.s returned to Stalag Luft III in 2009 for the 65th anniversary of the
escape, and were shown the film.
33.
Steve
McQueen, James Coburn, and Charles Bronson all previously starred together in
another John Sturges movie - The
Magnificent Seven.
34.
The
film was shot at Bavaria Film in Germany. Other films made here include The Sound of Music, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, and Cabaret.
35.
John
Leyton who played Willy, the Tunneler, was one of the most popular UK pop
singers in the early '60s.
36.
Actor
David McCallum’s daughter, Sophie, has never been able to watch the film
because she can’t stand to see her father shot.
37.
Several
members of the cast and crew were caught in a speed trap set up by German
police near the set. Steve McQueen was even arrested and briefly jailed!
38.
The
film is accurate in showing that only three escapees actually got out, although
the people who made them differed from those in the film.
39.
This
was one of the highest grossing films of 1963!
40.
Although
only 3 men managed to escape, the escape caused havoc among the Germans.
Thousands of police, Hitler Youth members and soldiers were diverted from
wartime duties to search for the escapees.
41.
Cast
members Donald Pleasence, Hannes Messemer, Til Kiwe and Hans Reiser were all
actual P.O.W.s in WWII.
42.
Donald
Pleasance is the only actor to appear in both this film and the 1988 TV movie.
43.
In
real life, the shooting of the recaptured escapees was one of the charges at
the Nuremberg War Crimes Trial of Hermann Göring and other Nazi leaders.
44.
In
the scene where they’re celebrating the Fourth of July, Steve McQueen is
obviously thrown off by an ad-lib by Jud Taylor – you can see him mouth “What?”
45.
Another
escape also occurred at Stalag Luft III – it’s depicted in 1950’s The Wooden Horse.
46.
There
are only two surviving P.O.W.s from Stalag Luft III; Ken Rees and Gordon King.
47.
During
production, Charles Bronson met and fell in love with David McCallum's wife,
Jill Ireland. On set, he jokingly told McCallum he was going to steal her away.
Four years later, Ireland and McCallum divorced, and she married Bronson.
48.
The
iconic motorcycle scenes in the film were not based on real life or the novel,
but were added at Steve McQueen's suggestion.
49.
Real
P.O.W.s asked filmmakers to exclude details about the maps, papers, and tools
hidden in gift packages from their home countries, as it might jeopardize
future P.O.W escapes. The filmmakers, of course, complied.
50.
The
actual escape that the film is based on occurred on March 24, 1944 - which was
Steve McQueen's birthday!
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