A Movement for an A-List Remake of WWII Epic ‘The Great Escape’

With the big production companies dead-set on remaking and rebooting everything that humans have ever created up to now rather than seeking out any outside contributors, it’s about time they at least started doing it well. With this article, I want to kickoff a movement to have a classic film remade with what today’s A-List has to offer. So get to the point already, right? Right, I want to see a large-scale production of a remake of the World War II adventure epic “The Great Escape”.

The story is based on the real-life experiences of a group of allied POWs, all with track records as escape artists, imprisoned in a camp with a reputation of being inescapable. Like a well-oiled machine, these men brought together under ungodly circumstances hatch an escape plan so outrageous, it seems doomed from the start, but guess what? It worked...sort of. In a plot that tells more like fiction, the imprisoned soldiers tunnel beneath their barracks, the campgrounds, and to freedom just beyond the camp’s borders. Through an elaborate tunnel system that is mistakenly made 20 feet short of the safety of the tree line, 76 men are able to escape before they are discovered. It’s an inspiring story of survival, perseverance, and triumph that is in need of being resurrected for modern audiences. Of course, war buffs, and movie fanatics are well-acquainted with this film, but in the event you’re reading this without having seen it, fear not, I’ll catch you up.

So how do you remake an epic of that scale and do it justice? That is to say, not pumping the cast full of ‘Twilight’ and ‘High School Musical’ alum, helmed by an inexperienced, trendy director. It must also not fall into the modern trap of stylized, ultra-violence; yet still convey the outrageous and heartbreaking brutality of nonsensical Nazi practices. First, it needs a writer/director worthy of such a project. My nomination goes to Wes Anderson. His artistically graphic, storybook-style would be perfect to keep the story organized, moving, and relevant, without straying or losing track of the many characters, which the original wavered on. His excellent way of getting to the point by allowing the audience to figure it out themselves, says that he is a director with faith in his audience, not looking to dumb-down this or any story for the masses. That kind of insider knowledge is exactly what is needed to tell this adventurous, desperate, and at times, lightly humorous story.

The film industry is desperate for a way to make the WWII-Era relevant again, and with a trustworthy director in place, that means there’s no way the studio that bankrolls the project can scrimp or cut corners. This is a piece that will need the industry’s biggest and brightest, as was the case when the film premiered in 1963, while the post-war theme was still part of the collective consciousness. What better way to bring the era back in style but to cast the modern counterparts of Steve McQueen, James Garner, Charles Bronson, and James Coburn? So without further ado, here is the modernized cast list, with brief character introductions:

Capt. Hilts AKA “The Cooler King” Portrayed by the ultra-cool, king of the bad boys Steve McQueen, Capt. Hilts refuses to follow the rules, and is always willing to do extra time in the box if only to push his captors closer to their limits. Escaping capture means more to him than freedom, but the ability to directly defy those who are holding him, and his fellow inmates in bondage. After all, who could ever forget the heart-pounding exhilaration of watching him bare down on his motorcycle, jumping barricades as he flees recapture, only to slide-out, getting hopelessly entangled in a barbed wire fence, then flash the soldiers a defiant grin and his wings, so they wouldn’t forget his status. When comparing that to modern standards, there’s one, very easy conclusion when it comes to who needs to breath life back into this iconic roll. If you haven’t already said Brad Pitt to yourself, I’ll do it for you. In a role critics and film addicts would scrutinize to death, there should be no question, and no competition on who could fill the shoes of Capt. Hilts, and the actor that made him famous.

Flight Lt. Hendley AKA The Scrounger To Steve McQueen’s consistent, headstrong, no-nonsense characters, James Garner often played the consummate good-guy, sweetheart-champion in film and television. Similarly, the character of Flight Lt. Hendley is more cautious, methodical, and low-key, with a smooth way of talking and bartering for items his team needs for their escape. Even after stealing guard Werner’s wallet to have his papers copied, he makes the impressionable young guard believe he is indebted to him for being willing to find and return it. This role is more challenging than it appears to be, not only is he the tall, dark, handsome, and a reliably good guy, but Lt. Hendley’s struggle to appear untouched by his situation to provide strength for others to look up to, is something that George Clooney would bring out brilliantly.

Flight Lt. Danny Velinski AKA The Tunnel King Charles Bronson, who’s known for his regular portrayal of dark-sided, tough-guys brings his expertise to a roll that may be the most stand-out performance of the film, and one of Bronson’s greatest achievements as an actor. In charge of building and excavating the tunnel to freedom below the camp, seems typical enough for the characters he tended to play, but there is more to his story than tough-guy tunneler. Although this tunnel is the 17^th of his escape career, Lt. Velinski is deathly afraid of being inside the enclosed and winding spaces. He and his men often face cave-ins and unsure fittings as everything they have at their disposal is salvaged, and dug with handmade tools. He even tries to sacrifice himself for the good of the group, worried that while in the tunnel with all the other men, he would panic, and botch the escape. Eventually talked into going, the power is shut down due to an air raid, leaving him alone in the dark for several heart-wrenching and terrifying moments, and his desperation becomes your own. The complex duality of the role does something rarely seen in film, making the tough-guy human. The best candidate for this part is an expert at playing the soulful tough-guy, Ray Liotta.

Squadron Leader Roger Bartlett AKA The Big X, originally played by Richard Attenborough, who is best known to modern audiences as a Dr. Frankenstein of sorts in his role as John Hammond in “Jurassic Park”. Squad. Leader Bartlett is subject to horrendous torture before getting sent to the camp, and wastes no time masterminding the dig. Branded “The Big X” because of his instant recognizability to the enemy, his involvement in the escape plot could very well jeopardize the operation. When going down the list of accomplished British actors, the role seems almost cater-made for Damian Lewis. Handsome and talented, Lewis has made his mark on both British and American cinema and television, though is still something of a well-kept secret when it comes to American audiences. Hand-picked by Steven Spielberg for the starring role in the equally epic miniseries “Band of Brothers”, in which Lewis was nominated for a Golden Globe, he’s already mastered playing an America soldier on a deadly campaign, so it would be great to see him rekindle the role in a way, by portraying the drama and responsibility of leading a different group of me to freedom.

Flight Lt. Colin Blythe AKA The Forger Donald Pleasence gave this small roll a dramatic impact. The men could escape, but without his handiwork as a master document forger, they would never be able to transgress the occupied borders. Pleasence’s Lt. Blythe is mild-mannered, quiet, and frightened, worried about the consequences of his failing eyesight. When Squad. Leader Bartlett has to make the painful decision that Lt. Blythe has to stay behind because of his condition, roommate Lt. Hendley refuses to leave him behind. Pleasence, a British actor, was able to make a small mark on both the British and American film industries, but since, we’ve established that this would be a Wes Anderson production, the roll of the meek, but skilled Lt. Blythe could easily go to Bill Murray. Murray is best know for his comedic work, but has the very real ability to fill this dramatic role. He should have no problem illustrating the life-and-death scenario of helping fellow captives gain their freedom, while struggling with his own physical limitations.

Flying Officer Louis Sedgwick AKA The Manufacturer James Coburn plays the Australian POW, who makes everything the team needs to excavate the tunnels. He’s tough, quick-witted, and charming, easily able to talk his way out of trouble, and always seeming to land on his feet. Coburn, recognizable for his often intense characters and large grin, provides a bit of humor to the tension, testing his captors with his wit and defiance. Embodying some of the same qualities, handsome and charming Jake Gyllenhaal, could easily fill the role. His ability to put the whole of himself into any character he plays, never leaving the audience wondering if he’s holding back, Gyllenhaal could bring out this strong character, and elemental part of the escape plan.

Kommandant von Luger, played by Hannes Messemer, is the small, but vital role of a man in charge of the camp, with clear reservations about what he’s there to do, and the Nazi movement in general. After the mass escape, he is relieved of his duties, and unceremoniously shepparded away by other officers, leaving the audience to only speculate about the hideous fate he would soon meet. The role of a man trapped between the two worlds of what’s right and wrong, should go to character actor Neal McDonough. Though he’s not a widely-recognized presence in film and tv, he is very good at portraying a variety of characters from scorned, to lovable, to deeply disturbed; he would be an excellent addition to the group.

Flying Officer Archibald Ives AKA The Mole played by Angus Lennie, another minor but vital role shows a man not afraid to make an escape, but near his breaking point. Quickly bonding with frequent cellmate Capt. Hilts, Ives slowly declines into madness, eventually trying to climb the razor wire fences in broad daylight, and being mercilessly shot and killed. Tangled in the wire, he dangles for all to take in as a painful lesson, most of all to his escape partner Capt. Hilts, who tried to save him. I’ve put serious thought into this role, and have decided that it’s about taking a chance. This character should be played by action star Jason Statham. This dramatic role could give him the chance to legitimize his status, and possibly prove there’s more to him than muscles and a great speaking voice.

Flight Lt. Denys Cavendish AKA The Surveyor played by Nigel Stock, Lt. Cavendish is one of the first men apprehended after the escape and is subject to brutal interrogation about the plot. He refuses to talk and is eventually sent back to the camp. This role can go to established actor and Hollywood champion, Edward Norton. Though very choosey about his roles, he is so versatile a talented that he could play just about anyone at any time. It would be a privilege to watch him take on this part, bringing his range to this elite group.

Group Capt. Ramsey – The SBO played by James Donald, Capt. Ramsey oversaw the whole operation, and believes it is his personal duty to get the men out of the camp and to freedom. This role is befitting of a man who need no introduction, Kurt Russell. In and out of the spotlight, Russell has been a fixture in American movies since his days as a child star. He could easily bring a since of charge and elegance to this part.

Lt. Cmdr. Eric Ashley-Pitt – Dispersal originally portrayed by David McCallum, and as the nickname implies, he is the one who figures out how to incorporate the dark-colored dirt from the tunnels into the dry topsoil above ground. This role would be revised by the newly-established Shia LaBeouf.

Flight Lt. Sandy MacDonald – Intelligence played by Gordon Jackson, MacDonald keeps everyone informed about the goings on in camp, and gathers information for the escape. He is Squad. Leader Bartlett’s second in command, and the revised role would go to up-and-coming British actor/musician Jim Sturgess.

Flight Lt. William Dickes AKA The Tunneler played by John Leyton, Dickes is the other major excavator, and forms a vital and close bond with Lt. Velinski, vowing never to leave him alone in the tunnel, and the two escape to freedom together. Unique in the characters he plays as well as his look, this part would be recast by British actor Paul Bettany.

Werner ‘The Ferret’ played by Robert Graf, the role of the young and easily confused German guard should be played by British actor Jamie Bell. Bell, known for his varied and growing body of work, would be an excellent fit to round out the cast.

And there you have it. Even though this is a hypothetical dream-team of players, with enough of a push from moviegoers and cinemaniacs, the industry will hopefully begin to pay attention to a quality story that could be as epic and inspiring as it was when it debuted. I for one have my fingers crossed that if a studio does decide to make it, they take some of this advice, and don’t fuck it up.