'The Great Escape' is a great movie but 'Escape From Sobibor' is something else.
Sobibor was a concentration camp and a death camp in Poland during World War 2. In 1943 there was an escape from another of these camps at Treblinka and the commander in charge of Sobibor said that no escapes would be made from his camp. If anyone attempted an escape then the Germans would kill an equal number of prisoners. Knowing this the inmates begin to plan an escape but it is not until some Russian soldiers come to the camp that the plans go ahead. They all know that whether they try to escape or not they will die.
They do not build a tunnel. Instead they turn on their guards and the officers killing some and escaping right through the gates.
This film was directed by Jack Gold for TV and based on a true story.
It is very emotional, compelling and should not been missed. Some of the scenes are quite harrowing like the killing of a trustee as the prisoners become as brutal as their captors.
Over 300 prisoners escaped and many were recaptured and killed - but some got away and survived the war.
The film stars Alan Arkin, Joanna Pacula and Rutger Hauer and runs for 2hrs 25 mins.
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Haven't seen it in years but agree it's a classic.
ReplyDeleteAnything with Rutger Hauer in it is a classic! My recollection of it is that it was a tv movie and so wasn't as harrowing as it perhaps should be with very well-fed looking prisoners, but still a compelling story I didn't know about.
ReplyDeleteNice new site, by the way, Dominic.
Oddly enough, I watched this film last week. Still good. And of course the most moving part is the end as the men and women we've got to know in the camp run for their lives and the voice over tells us that these people survived to the present day (1987). Sadly, some didn't make it, and that was heartbreaking too. Worse, a major character returned to his homeland Poland, set up a business after the war and then later was murdered by anti-Semites. And Rutger Hauer got an award for his part too. Yep, recommended.
ReplyDeleteNik/Ross Morton