THE LAST ESCAPE

US, 1970, 90 minutes, Colour.
Stuart Whitman, John Collin, Martin Jarvis.
Directed by Walter Grauman.

The Last Escape (Break-out) is a routine war adventure starring Stuart Whitman in his usual strong and stolid style. Direction is by Walter Grauman who directed several war films and a number of tele-movies. A routine adventure.

1. The appeal of war films? Reasons for interest? So many decades after the war? Was this a good war film?

2. The title, the war style? How real, unreal?

3. The importance of the mission? The involvement of lives and deaths? The explanation of the mission and audience judgment on its importance?

4. The dramatic opening, the deaths of the squad, Mitchell's survival?

5. The plan for the rescue, Mitchell's leadership, the English support, the betrayal by the man with the radio? The plan being fulfilled?

6. The film's attention to detail for action? The atmosphere of fear, heroism?

7. The importance of the civilian refugees? The varying personalities? The mistress of the German and her relationship with Mitchell? The boy and his help?

8. The pursuers and their relentlessness? The German Intelligence? The Russians pursuing the scientist?

9. The importance of the climax and the final escaping? The values in this kind of film?