The Great Escaper is a fitting send off for a pair of screen legends, turning a true story into a heartwarming charmer of a film that celebrates the bravery of a generation without shying away from the pain or horrors of war. Its final moments are the ideal way to end 2 magnificent careers.
Michael Caine brings a disarming wit that always lands and since this is his final performance there's also plenty of emotional heft to it too. Glenda Jackson is equally charming, despite being stuck at home the whole time she still gets plenty of screen time and feels essential to the story.
Other than an excessive amount of WW2 flashbacks interspersed throughout Oliver Parker's direction really works, the use of silence for the heavier moments is really effective. Craig Armstrong's score can get very repetitive however it's still got a lot of easygoing whimsy.
Michael Caine brings a disarming wit that always lands and since this is his final performance there's also plenty of emotional heft to it too. Glenda Jackson is equally charming, despite being stuck at home the whole time she still gets plenty of screen time and feels essential to the story.
Other than an excessive amount of WW2 flashbacks interspersed throughout Oliver Parker's direction really works, the use of silence for the heavier moments is really effective. Craig Armstrong's score can get very repetitive however it's still got a lot of easygoing whimsy.