MovieChat Forums > The Great Escape (1963) Discussion > Nit picks

Nit picks

posted 3 years ago by dpeterg (25)
4 replies | jump to latest

Spoilers
OK, seen it so many times I’m noticing little flaws:
In the scene in which Werner spills his coffee. He is absolutely frozen for about 2 seconds before he pours the coffee. Certainly looks like he waiting for the director to say “action”.
McQueen asks for 30 feet of rope. If the hole is 30 feet and it’s 20 feet to the woods doesn’t’ he need at least 50 feet of rope?
When Bartlett realizes they are going to be shot and turns, look at the Gordon Jackson character looking as well. Hi face does not show any worry at all. Weird.
When the dispose of the dirt while marching. Kinda risky out in the open plus wouldn’t they need to have their hands in their pockets. An odd way to march?
Garner hurts hi leg and face during the plane crash. We don’t know how much time before he is returned to camp but no sign of a limp or facial injury
What’s the point of McQueen removing he German uniform. If he ahd escaped it might’ve come in handy.
When the German guard discovers the hole and the lights are shined on the area it looks like several escapees are still in the trees. Shouldn’t they have been long gone?
Coincidence that the truckdriver who picked up Cavendish drove him right to the Germans?
They ask Garner where he got the wallet. Wouldn’t the identity card he just handed to them answer that question?
When McQueen escapes the 2nd time does he go to the same blind spot near the wire? Wouldn’t the Germans’ have plugged that blind spot after seeing the hole he and Ives had left? And wire cutter sure seemed like an easier way out than digging as McQueen proved.

Yes, I know. It’s just a movie.

[–] jokul (5) 3 years ago

All valid nits. That's the problem with watching a favorite movie so many times. After a while the flaws really bother you and you can't watch it any more. This happened to me with All The President's Men.

Regarding Steve McQueen in this film: His appearance always struck me as anachronistic. He looks like he just arrived on set from 1960's Malibu.

[–] dpeterg (25) 3 years ago

All the Presidents men: Since you have seen it so many times, I was wondering what you thought of a particular scene. I always thought Redford was a decent actor but there is a scene when he’s in the office on a phone call in which I think he is brilliant.

[–] jokul (5) 3 years ago

Yes, that scene was a standout, especially knowing that when Woodward accidentally called Dahlberg MacGregor, it was an actual flub by Redford. But he continued acting and the flub was left in.

My general opinion of Redford as an actor is that he's ok, but often times self-conscious and guarded. He doesn't seem to fully embody a given character the way Paul Newman did. It's usually Redford being Redford. He succeeded in AtPM partly because his personality is very similar to Woodward's. Reserved, serious and guarded.

[–] Owlwise (1535) 3 years ago

As for the faces of Bartlett & MacDonald when they're about to be shot, it always seemed to me that they were already expecting something like that from the Germans, that it wasn't any real surprise or shock. They understood all too well by that point what the Germans were capable of, especially the Gestapo & the SS. To me, there's a split second of cold realization, and then a sense of, "Well, of course ..."