NR | 2h | Comedy, Drama, War | 1953
Instead, “Stalag 17” surprised me with its unexpected humor. While it inspired the TV series “Hogan’s Heroes,” the film achieves a distinctive balance between comedy and drama. Unlike the TV show’s much more slapstick approach, “Stalag 17” uses humor to underscore the POWs’ desperate attempts to retain their humanity amid the harsh realities of war.
At the time, blending comedy with a war story was considered inappropriate. With the memory of World War II still fresh in the collective American consciousness and the Korean War ongoing, few would have thought war a suitable subject for humor. Yet, Billy Wilder did it, adapting the Broadway play by Donald Bevan and Edmund Trzcinski. He took this bold step to show that, even in the bleakest circumstances, laughter and humanity can coexist.
Wilder’s risky move paid off, making “Stalag 17” both a critical and commercial success. The film paved the way for a new genre of war films that weren’t afraid to find glimmers of humor within grim situations.
The film’s outstanding cast, including William Holden, Otto Preminger, Robert Strauss, and Harvey Lembeck, brings to life the tension and camaraderie of men trapped behind enemy lines, combining both laughs and genuine emotion. Wilder’s adaptation captures this delicate balance, creating a film that remains as bold as it is entertaining.
The story begins on a grim note, just days before Christmas. The German prisoner-of-war camp houses 630 American airmen. The men of Barracks 4 are planning a daring escape for two of their own, Johnson (Peter Baldwin) and Manfredi (Michael Moore), who slip away through a hidden tunnel beneath their barrack’s stove. As their fellow prisoners wait in tense anticipation, the sound of gunfire shatters their hopes—the Germans anticipated the escape and were lying in ambush.
During roll call the next morning, the POWs see the bodies of the two Americans lying in the mud. The prison’s commander, Oberst von Scherbach (Preminger), issues a stern warning to the rest of the prisoners against further escape attempts.
The camp is soon buzzing with rumors of a traitor in their midst. Most of the suspicion lands on Sgt. J.J. Sefton (Holden), a sharp-witted prisoner who openly trades with the German guards for small comforts. His gamble that the daring escape would fail only heightens the mistrust around him. When Sgt. Price (Peter Graves), the barracks’ security officer, focuses on Sefton as the likely informant, the tension and paranoia among the men escalate further.
The first act of the film functions as a suspenseful mystery, as the men of Barracks 4 grapple with the identity of a potential informant. Although Sefton initially emerges as a prime suspect, he seems a little too obvious to be the real traitor. The rest of the movie shifts focus to the ethical questions surrounding the use of the real spy’s identity: whether to exploit it for personal gain or to use it to save fellow soldiers.
The film also explores the tension between individual survival and collective strength, leaving this question open-ended, but suggesting that the will to survive can endure, despite harsh challenges.
Billy Wilder’s direction ensures that the humor integrates seamlessly with the film’s serious themes, creating a balance that enhances the story. Some moments, like the Christmas dance between bosom buddies Sgt. Stanislaus “Animal” Kuzawa (Strauss) and Sgt. Harry Shapiro (Robert Lembeck), feels a little contrived. For the most part, the cast delivers strong performances. Strauss’s overall performance earned him an Oscar nomination, while Holden secured a Best Actor award for his role.
“Stalag 17” goes beyond the typical war film, genuinely appealing to those who might not usually gravitate toward the genre. Its unique mix of levity and seriousness, coupled with strong performances and an engaging narrative, makes it a film that resonates on multiple levels.
“Stalag 17” provides a thoughtful commentary on human resilience and camaraderie under extremely dire circumstances. The richly drawn characters and sharp dialogue create a vivid portrait of life in captivity.
