A common question asked about Stalag 17 is, “Did it come from a book?”
No, it didn’t come from a book, but from a fairly successful play. But like
many scripts that arrive in Hollywood, it received heavy rewriting. Perhaps the
reason the movie envelopes audiences is the great care Billy Wilder took to make
sure the authenticity of the camp was captured as accurately as possible. You
can feel the texture of the shabby barracks with its weathered walls and
mud-slogged yard. Your skin tightens with the thought of the cold the prisoners
are huddled against. And very prevalent is the dark humor flowing from crass
mouths struggling to find cheer in a cheerless environment. Wilder takes us to
a situation so true-to-life that, when the story starts and character
motivations are revealed, we’re also made prisoners of the stalag and unfolding
events. He worked to keep an air of suspense amongst the cast as well by
filming the movie chronologically. He hid a key plot element from most of the
cast until the last few days of shooting. Wilder so masterfully maintained the
illusion that more than half a century later, Stalag 17 can still take viewers back to a frigid WWII P.O.W. camp
as effectively as when it was released. And just as effectively capture new audiences
with its story. It remains one of the best prison escape stories of all time.
Won an Academy Award for Best Actor in a
Leading Role.
