In this episode, we move on to our seventh-ranked film of 1963, "The Great Escape," which marked career turning points for Steve McQueen, James Garner, and James Coburn. 

In this episode:

- Background on director John Sturges [2:07]
- Difficulties with Steve McQueen [5:58]
- How Sturges helped viewers remember so many characters [8:31]
- Where the filmmakers deviated from the facts of the 1944 escape [11:44]
- Placing the film in the context of 1963 [15:15]
- Scenes deleted from the final cut [18:38]
- Facts on casting, storytelling structure, musical soundtrack [22:30]

For an additional podcast on McQueen's role in this film and in two others, click here.

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