The Great Escape
1963, English. Directed by John Sturges.
Put a fence in front of these men... and they'll climb it!
The Nazis, exasperated at the number of escapes from their prison camps by a relatively small number of Allied prisoners, relocate them to a high-security 'escape-proof' camp to sit out the remainder of the war. Undaunted, the prisoners plan one of the most ambitious escape attempts of World War II. Based on a true story.
- Runtime
- 2h 53m
- Post-credits
- None listed
- Language
- English
- Rated
- NR
Start now and it ends at ….
Absolute Cinema
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7.9/10 from 3,005 TMDB viewer ratings.
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Where to watch The Great Escape
The Great Escape is streaming on MGM Plus in India.
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Amazon VideoAvailability in India as of 10 November 2026. Streaming data by JustWatch.
Part of a series
The Great Escape: watch order
Cast & crew
- John SturgesDirector
- Steve McQueenHilts 'The Cooler King'
- James GarnerHendley 'The Scrounger'
- Richard AttenboroughBartlett 'Big X'
- James DonaldRamsey 'The SBO'
- Charles BronsonDanny 'Tunnel King'
- Donald PleasenceBlythe 'The Forger'
- James CoburnSedgwick 'Manufacturer'
- Hannes MessemerVon Luger 'The Kommandant'
- David McCallumAshley-Pitt 'Dispersal'
- Gordon JacksonMacDonald 'Intelligence'
- John LeytonWillie 'Tunnel King'
- Angus LennieIves 'The Mole'
Details
- Released
- 3 July 1963
- Country
- United States of America
- Written by
- James Clavell, W.R. Burnett
- Budget
- $4M
- Box office
- $12M
Check ratings elsewhere
News & fan talk
What The Great Escape is based on
The Great Escape is based on The Great Escape, a 1950 novel by Paul Brickhill.
Novel · 1950
The Great Escape
By Paul Brickhill
Source details from Wikidata and TMDB.
After The Great Escape
What comes next in the series.
If you liked The Great Escape
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1987 · 7.5/10
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The Great Escape: quick answers
What comes after The Great Escape?
Next in the series: The Great Escape II: The Untold Story (1988).
Is The Great Escape worth watching?
Our verdict is Absolute Cinema: Drop everything and watch it. It scores 7.9/10 from 3,005 TMDB viewer ratings.
How long is The Great Escape?
The Great Escape runs 173 minutes (2h 53m).
Does The Great Escape have a post-credits scene?
None is listed for The Great Escape. Viewers tag these on TMDB, so a brand-new film may not be tagged yet.
The Great Escape parents guide: is it suitable for kids?
The Great Escape is rated NR in India. Check the rating guidance before watching with young children.
Which OTT platform is The Great Escape on?
The Great Escape is streaming on MGM Plus in India. (Checked 10 November 2026.)
What movies are like The Great Escape?
If you liked The Great Escape, try Rescue Dawn, Passage to Marseille, Ice Cold in Alex.
Who directed The Great Escape?
The Great Escape (1963) was directed by John Sturges and stars Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough.
What is The Great Escape based on?
The Great Escape is based on The Great Escape, a 1950 novel by Paul Brickhill.