Because it has a timeless message, it's more than just a war film, it's a parable of triumph of human spirit and camaraderie in the face of overwhelming odds
I love the look Mqueen gives Jud Taylor after he says " No taxation without representation." Taylor went in to be a prominent TV director. He directed many shows in the late 60's and 70's including one or two Star Treks
Kind of reminds me of another movie, "The Madness of King George." There is a scene where King George, refers to the USA as, "our former possessions in North America."
@@keithdean9149 Oh yes, King George became notoriously obsessed with those possessions later in life as his madness progressed. He knew he'd go down in history as the King who lost America, and it haunted him.
Best Fourth of July ever put on the silver screen!love this scene! This is one of those movies always showing on tv that took me awhile to get through the whole thing because I was always getting it at different points, but I’d be lying if said this scene didn’t sell me!
I'm listening to the audio book of the Great Escape and I love it. The moonshine factors in prominently and gets banned because it's too much fun and too dangerous. My kind of party. Big X lives!
I once asked a British co-employee who I worked with in New York, how he was going to celebrate the 4th of July. He smiled and said that in his country it was a day of mourning.
Richard Dawson said the same thing on a July 4th episode of Match Game. So maybe it's only certain people who think of my fought for independence that way.
One of the best scenes in any movie. Shows the affections and ties that bind us Americans and the people of the British Empire/Commonwealth. We had our issues but like family we always have each other’s back. It is like I can insult or mess with my brother but a pox on anyone else who tries.
No smoking right after drinking reminds me of thexwtuff I drank at DaNang air force base in Viet Nsm. Aged 4 dats. It would probably kill me now 50 years later.
Just saw a documentary on Nat Geo about moonshine. Shouldn't they not drink the first few streams of the moonshine that flows out as it contains ethanol?
Fun scene, but hard to believe them making moonshine without detection, use of explosives, and raising of the American flag without a German response. Really?
Well the moonshine vodka was correct though not like how they did it here. However for the 4/7 celebration scene I couldn’t find any evidence of it happening at the real Stalag Luft III.
Read Paul Brickhall's book. Several Americans were in Stalag Luft III and were a vital part of Big X. Months before the breakout, the Luftwaffe were given orders to make a new section of the prison to only hold American officers, which separated them from the other prisoners. The Germans were angry that the Americans got along so well with the British and other allies. Brickhall, who was a guest of Stalag Luft III, wrote that it was painful for the rest of the camp to see the Americans leave because of their brotherhood and also their ingenuity and work on the tunnels, and not get a chance to escape. Also, many Americans were flying and fighting for the British air force as the Eagle Squadron. Later, German High Command changed their protocol about escaped prisoners. British and American officers who had escaped from any prison camp in 1944 and 45 and were recaptured, were taken to Mauthausen concentration camp. The Geneva Convention was rather loosely followed by the High Command, to say the least. Read Brickhall's book, The Great Escape. You will recognize many of the film's characters from the real life people. @@thomsboys77
Read that this film almost wasn't made because even during WW2 dramas were being made. 20 years after seemed a tired subject Most of the actors were almost considered too old play their parts, but contributed their experience to its authenticity. Still would have bern better with less spotlight on the production team and less music overlayed. Keep it simple, Keep it real.
Happy Fourth of July Grandpa Beasley WW2 USA 🪖 Army Sniper against Nazi front lines, liberating Nazi death camps, from American Grandson John Robert Bruffett Junior 🌧️🇺🇸🌧️🌧️🌧️🌧️🌧️
Ya'll ever notice this isn't shown with as much regularity as once before? Probably because there are no minorities, or a gay romance represented which means of course it MUST be racist and homophobic in its' origin. If you pay attention, Turner Classic Movies has all but ceased airing in Prime Time films such as this or The Cincinnati Kid, The Searchers or most John Wayne flicks, Spencer Tracy in Northwest Passage, and many others. They are instead shown after midnite and before 8am Eastern. Can't have any impressionable youth view such films that are not inclusive.
I sympathize with your irritation at the PC murder of creativity in Hollywood in the current year(s) but to most people, films like this are vintage now. The Great Escape will turn 60 next year, the events it dramatizes will be turning 80. But I'm glad to hear it still plays after midnight.
What? Oh, I see. Yes, “worst” is a relative term, so if it’s your least favorite, then yeah, it would be the worst, but still a ten out of ten. Gotcha!
@@gawainethefirst "Revolution 9" from The White Album is a pretty good candidate for the Beatles' hottest mess of a song, but yeah, this scene is one of many people's faves including mine, and The Great Escape has no bad scenes at all in my book.
