Stalag 17 (1953) | |
| Director(s) | Billy Wilder |
| Producer(s) | William Schorr (associate), Billy Wilder |
| Top Genres | Comedy, Drama, War |
| Top Topics | Based on Play, Spies, World War II |
Featured Cast:
Stalag 17 Overview:
Stalag 17 (1953) was a Comedy - Drama Film directed by Billy Wilder and produced by Billy Wilder and William Schorr.
The film was based on the play of the same name written by Donald Bevan and Edmund Trzcinski performed at the 48th Street Theatre, NY from May 8, 1951 - Jun 21, 1952.
SYNOPSIS
One of the greatest of the postwar WWII movies isn't a flag-waving storm-the-beaches epic or a homefront melodrama, but this POW-camp adventure with a black-comic edge. Wilder's biting, cynical dialogue looks presciently forward to the antihero war movies that would follow in the late '60s and the '70s. In a camp run with an iron fist by sadistic commandant Preminger, G.I.s keep themselves sane by planning escapes and pulling pranks on the guards. Keeping his mates at arm's length, Holden rejects the patriotic motivations of his comrades and engages in black-market trade with his captors and the women's compound. When a spy infiltrates the ranks, Holden's the obvious suspect. But after a beating, Holden uncovers the culprit and volunteers - for his own commercial reasons - for a heroic assignment. One of Wilder's greatest scripts (and he shot it nearly word-for-word), given a terrific reading from Holden and a deep cast of supporting actors.
(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).
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Academy Awards 1953 --- Ceremony Number 26 (source: AMPAS)
| Award | Recipient | Result |
| Best Actor | William Holden | Won |
| Best Supporting Actor | Robert Strauss | Nominated |
| Best Director | Billy Wilder | Nominated |
BlogHub Articles:
William Holden is a prisoner in “Stalag 17”
By Stephen Reginald on Mar 26, 2021 From Classic Movie ManWilliam Holden is a prisoner in “Stalag 17” Stalag 17 (1953) is an American comedy-drama directed by Billy Wilder set in a German prisoner of war camp during World War II. The film is based on the Broadway play of the same name written by Donald Bevan and Edmund Trzcinski. Bevan and... Read full article
There's a Spy in Stalag 17
By Rick29 on Nov 24, 2019 From Classic Film & TV CafeWilliam Holden as Sefton. Considering it was made by one of Hollywood's most versatile directors, it's no surprise that Billy Wilder's Stalag 17 flows back and forth effortlessly between drama and comedy. Set in a German prisoner of war camp during World War II, the dramatic storyline focuses on a ... Read full article
COMEDY GOLD #16: Animal and Shapiro from Stalag 17 (1953)
By Carol Martinheira on Jun 22, 2019 From The Old Hollywood GardenCOMEDY GOLD #16: Animal and Shapiro from Stalag 17 (1953) On June 22, 2019June 22, 2019 By CarolIn Uncategorized Birthday boy Billy Wilder’s flair for balacing comedy and drama in the same movie is legendary and revered. And, barring The Apartment (1960), one cou... Read full article
Review: Stalag 17 (1953)
By 4 Star Film Fan on May 26, 2019 From 4 Star FilmsI grew up with Hogan’s Heroes reruns on our Magnavox analog television. In fact, at one point it was my favorite show because it had such a colorful cast, it was perennially entertaining and utterly goofy to the extreme. But others have understandably?decried the show because they see it findi... Read full article
Stalag 17 (1953, Billy Wilder)
By Andrew Wickliffe on Apr 17, 2019 From The Stop ButtonStalag 17 opens with narration explaining the film isn?t going to be like those other WWII pictures, where the soldiers are superhuman and the film bleeds patriotism. No, Stalag 17 is going to be something different?first off, it takes place not on the battlefield, but a German prison camp. Through ... Read full article
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Quotes from
Oberst Von Scherbach: Nobody has ever escaped from Stalag 17. Not alive, anyway.
Oberst Von Scherbach: I'm grateful for a little company. I suffer from insomia.
Lt. James Skylar Dunbar: Did you ever try 40 sleeping pills?
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Facts about
The authors of Stalag 17 sued the creators of the TV series Hogan's Heroes for plagiarism, as they had submitted a proposal for a TV show based on their play in 1963 to CBS. The case was closed with an undisclosed settlement.
William LaChasse, had a bit part in the movie. He was hired by Paramount Pictures to be in several films after WWII. They bought him a SAG card and gave him a few lines in each film. Back then, there was no Screen Extras Guild. The real reason they made him an actor was a cheap way to use him as an Assistant Production Designer. He was actually a Prisoner of War for almost three years in Germany after being shot down in his B-17 by German Messcherschmidt Fighter pilot, Otto Peter Stammberger. The production depended heavily on his recollection of how the prison camp looked. He said it started out as a "B" movie, but after "New York" saw the dailies they gave Billy Wilder "carte blanche."
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