If you like a little comedy mixed in with a war movie then here you go. This takes place in a German POW camp, Stalag 17. ofcourse the major things to do are to survive and escape. Watchi how these men band together and make that happen.

So, I've mentioned in a few reviews already that I am becoming quite the Billy Wilder fan. For the most part I am just in love with all of his films. In all honesty, the only one of those that I've seen that was less than impressive to me was `The Seven Year Itch'. Sadly, `Stalag 17', while not as bad as the aforementioned, is not at the same caliber as his films like `The Apartment' and `Some Like it Hot'. No, `Stalag 17' is not one of my favorite Wilder films. Sure, it has its moments, and when it does hit (the ending is particularly well done) it hits hard, but there are too many areas where I feel it misses its mark.

The film tells the story of Sgt. J. J. Sefton, an American prisoner of war living out his captivity in stalag 17. His somewhat prickly demeanor has led some to accuse him of being an informant to the Germans. Determined to prove his innocence (and exact revenge on the one who set him up) Sefton engages in a game of wit and deception as he works to uncover the truth.

The story is intriguing, but I wouldn't say that it is handled in the best way. In fact, the first half of the film left me wondering why I was watching the film in the first place. It seems to flow at an uneven pace, one that doesn't really establish its purpose until a good way into the film. It's funny that the Amazon review mentions `Hogan's Heroes' because that's all I could think of while watching this movie. Sadly, this movie can't hold up to the fond memories I have of that wonderfully constructed television series. I really thought that Wilder would be able to pull this off, especially since he is no stranger to comedy (`Some Like it Hot'), drama (`Double Indemnity') or a combination of the two (`The Apartment') and so I really thought he was going to knock this out of the park. Instead the film seems littered with gags that try too hard yet never quite land. You can tell that Wilder really wants to lighten up the film, but only a handful of the comedic moments work within the context of the film. The film soars much higher when Wilder leaves his humor behind and focuses on the dramatic portions of the film. Like I mentioned, the last few frames are particularly stunning.

As far as the acting is concerned, it is also a case of drama trumping comedy. The comedic performances seem out of place for the most part, rarely generating the anticipated laugh (Harvey Lembeck lands almost every gag, while his comedic counterpart Robert Strauss struggles), but William Holden and Otto Preminger manage to make the dramatic sequences pass off with flying colors. I will not say that this was a triumphant performance for Holden (I much preferred him in Wilder's stunning `Sunset Blvd.') but I will say that he was definitely noteworthy. He delivers a solid performance as a man at wits end trying to clear his good name. Otto Preminger is wonderful as the sinister camp commander and really should have garnered himself an Oscar nomination (I would have preferred him or Lembeck to Strauss, definitely).

In the end I will say that `Stalag 17' is entertaining and it is a good movie, but I feel that it had potential to be great (especially in Wilder's hands) and so its small failures seem bigger to me than perhaps they really are. I would love to have labeled this an A+ movie, because I feel that it has the raw quality to have become that, but instead it'll have to settle for a solid B.

One of the best war time movies. Great performances keep you interested as the characters play out the scenes. Good character development & suspense is tight.

Does what the older movies always do. Entertain and hold our attention without all the gore. In others ways this has actual acting in it.

One of William Holden's best, though he seldom gave a poor performance anyway. The richness of the other actors and excellent camera angles and editing make this an excellent movie to enjoy over and over again.