Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Latest
    • 3627. I Believe In Miracles (2015)
    • 3626. The Man With One Red Shoe (1985)
    • 3625. Ode To Joy (2019)
    • 3624. One Chance (2013)
    • 3623. Falling For Figaro (2020)
    • 3622. The Polka King (2017)
    • 3621. Spies In Disguise (2019)
    • 3620. Friendzone (2021)
    The Mad Movie Man
    • Home
    • Blog
      • All Posts
      • Best Of The Year
        • Best Of 2015
        • Best Of 2016
        • Best Of 2017
        • Best Of 2018
        • Best Of 2019
        • Best Of 2020
        • Best Of 2021
        • Best Of 2022
      • The Decade In Review
      • Box Office Analysis
      • James Bond
      • Oscars
      • RANKED
      • Star Wars
      • The Big Questions
      • Top 10
      • World Cinema
    • Ratings
      • Top 250
      • Top 100 Foreign Films
      • Bottom 50
      • 0 – 1.9
      • 2 – 3.9
      • 4 – 5.9
      • 6 – 7.9
      • 8 – 10
    • Genres
      • Action
      • Anthology
      • Animation
      • Christmas
      • Comedy
      • Crime
      • Documentary
      • Drama
      • Fantasy
      • Film-Noir
      • History
      • Horror
      • Kids’
      • Musical
      • Psychological
      • Romance
      • Sci-Fi
      • Short
      • Silent
      • Sport
      • Superhero
      • Survival
      • Thriller
      • Western
    • Release Year
      • 2020s
      • 2010s
      • 2000s
      • 1990s
      • 1980s
      • 1970s
      • 1960s
      • 1950s
      • 1940s
      • 1930s
      • 1920s
    • Country
      • Afghanistan
      • Argentina
      • Australia
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Brazil
      • Cambodia
      • Canada
      • Chile
      • China
      • Colombia
      • Costa Rica
      • Czechoslovakia
      • Czech Republic
      • Denmark
      • East Timor
      • Faroe Islands
      • Finland
      • France
      • Germany
      • Georgia
      • Greece
      • Hong Kong
      • Hungary
      • Iceland
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Iran
      • Iraq
      • Ireland
      • Israel
      • Italy
      • Japan
      • Latvia
      • Lebanon
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Mexico
      • New Zealand
      • Nigeria
      • North Korea
      • Norway
      • Paraguay
      • Peru
      • Philippines
      • Poland
      • Romania
      • Russia
      • Saudi Arabia
      • Singapore
      • South Korea
      • South Africa
      • Soviet Union
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • Syria
      • Taiwan
      • Thailand
      • Turkey
      • Uganda
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
      • Uruguay
      • Vietnam
      • Zambia
    • About
    The Mad Movie Man
    You are at:Home»Review»2115. Stalag 17 (1953)

    2115. Stalag 17 (1953)

    0
    By The Mad Movie Man on April 13, 2018 120-129 mins, 1953, 6 - 7.9, Apr 18, Comedy, Drama, Movies Of 2018, Review, United States
    7.6 Entertaining and exciting
    • Acting 7.6
    • Directing 7.6
    • Story 7.5
    • User Ratings (0 Votes) 0

    Starring: Willam Holden, Don Taylor, Otto Preminger

    Director: Billy Wilder

    Running Time: 120 mins


    Stalag 17 is an American film about a soldier being held in a POW camp who is suspected of being an informant after the death of two fellow prisoners.

    The great thing about this film is how original it is in turning a genre and setting often used for big, patriotic war films (i.e. The Great Escape) into a both an entertaining comedy and intriguing mystery, which makes for an engaging and enjoyable watch throughout, even if the film does sacrifice some of its potentially more engrossing elements for its unique comedic vibes.

    I think it’s best, however, to start off by emphasising just how different this is to the typical POW film. At first, you expect the film to have that same, patriotic atmosphere of a classic war film, and although the opening act largely follows that formula, there’s just something that feels a little bit different throughout the whole movie, and it’s not all that easy to put your finger on it at first.

    Of course, coming from a director like Billy Wilder, who is as skilled as any in creating classic comedies (The Seven Year Itch, The Apartment, Some Like It Hot and more), a humorous vibe isn’t all that out of the blue in truth, and although it can be a little disconcerting at first, the humour that Wilder brings to the film not only lends it all a unique atmosphere, but also gives the central characters a different and more engaging dynamic to some of the blander hero-types you get in the more generic movies.

    Now, while the film does have good comedy throughout, I don’t want to suggest that this is an out-and-out comedy. There are some good laughs here and there, but it’s not only there to make you laugh, as its main story is one of an engrossing mystery trying to figure out just why the POWs seem unable to get their own way with anything, suspecting an informant among their own ranks.

    Again, Billy Wilder has helmed some brilliant mysteries over time (Sunset Boulevard, Witness For The Prosecution etc.), and Stalag 17 features the same sort of intrigue and suspense throughout, making for an intriguing watch that again distances the film from what you would expect at first, as the main plot doesn’t really have anything to do with the war, but rather the mystery and tensions that arise within the barracks.

    As a result, the film is an entertaining watch because of both the comedy and the well-written mystery, which will easily keep you engaged from start to finish. However, if there were to be one complaint that I have with this film, it would be that, what with all these different genres coming together in an unlikely setting, it does feel a little disjointed and hard to really grasp at times.

    Individually, the comedy is great, and the mystery is engrossing, but as a whole package over the course of two full hours, things aren’t quite as smooth, as the film focuses on those different genres to different degrees at different times. The comedy is much stronger in the middle portion, while the mystery really comes to a head in the final act, and while it’s all still good stuff, it just doesn’t come together in an entirely coherent way, which can be a little jarring as you have to readjust your brain and the way you’re watching at times.

    Overall, however, I liked Stalag 17 a lot. It’s a unique take on the POW story that combines impressive comedy and engrossing mystery, and although it isn’t a completely perfect marrying of an unlikely genre combination, it’s still engaging throughout, and that’s why I’m giving it a 7.6.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    The Mad Movie Man
    • Website
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    The Mad Movie Man, AKA Anthony Cullen, writes articles and reviews about movies and the world of cinema. Since January 1st, 2013, he has watched and reviewed a movie every day. This is the blog dedicated to the project: www.madmovieman.com

    Related Posts

    7.1

    3627. I Believe In Miracles (2015)

    5.8

    3626. The Man With One Red Shoe (1985)

    7.9

    3625. Ode To Joy (2019)

    Follow Me Online!
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Tumblr
    New Releases
    5.3
    January 17, 2022

    3620. Friendzone (2021)

    7.1
    January 10, 2022

    3612. The Lost Daughter (2021)

    8.0
    January 7, 2022

    3609. Licorice Pizza (2021)

    7.2
    January 7, 2022

    3608. Lamb (2021)

    7.4
    December 30, 2021

    3599. The King’s Man (2021)

    6.3
    December 29, 2021

    3598. The Matrix Resurrections (2021)

    8.4
    December 28, 2021

    3597. West Side Story (2021)

    6.3
    December 27, 2021

    3596. Gunpowder Milkshake (2021)

    Recommended Movies
    8.1
    Review
    December 19, 20190

    2788. Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise Of Skywalker (2019)

    8.5
    Review
    December 27, 20160

    1596. Deepwater Horizon (2016)

    8.2
    Review
    August 6, 20210

    3435. The Perfect Secret (2019)

    8.3
    Review
    July 7, 20160

    1410. Waterloo Bridge (1940)

    8.8
    Review
    October 2, 20130

    303. Children Of Men (2006)

    Popular Posts
    7.1
    January 24, 2022

    3627. I Believe In Miracles (2015)

    5.8
    January 23, 2022

    3626. The Man With One Red Shoe (1985)

    7.9
    January 22, 2022

    3625. Ode To Joy (2019)

    7.4
    January 21, 2022

    3624. One Chance (2013)

    6.3
    January 20, 2022

    3623. Falling For Figaro (2020)

    7.5
    January 19, 2022

    3622. The Polka King (2017)

    6.0
    January 18, 2022

    3621. Spies In Disguise (2019)

    © 2022 ThemeSphere. Designed by ThemeSphere.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.