This is the second of a multi-part documentary included on the bonus disc for "The Great Escape". My complaint about the first portion ("The Great Escape: Bringing Fact to Fiction") was that despite the title, it really did not have a lot to do with explaining how the film did and didn't recreate the story correctly from real life. However, to my surprise, much of this was addressed in "Preparations for Freedom"! This short film was about the actual prison camp, Stalag Luft III as well as the inmates of this institution. Apparently, many random and unorganized escape attempts were made before the camp decided to organize--to push for one HUGE escape instead of doing it haphazardly. The film also addresses an important historical inaccuracy in the movie--the American prisoners. Apparently, there HAD been some but they'd been transferred out of the camp before the escape. Some had worked on the tunnels. The filmmakers knew this but decided to use a few Americans (such as James Garner and Steve McQueen) in order to attract a broader international audience for the film. This is understandable...but quite inaccurate.
An interesting film that, unfortunately, ends on a cliff-hanger! Fortunately, it's addressed in the next film which talks about what happened during and after the escape.
An interesting film that, unfortunately, ends on a cliff-hanger! Fortunately, it's addressed in the next film which talks about what happened during and after the escape.
