With a story based on an actual POW breakout in 1943 wartime Germany, director John Sturges brought to audiences The Great Escape, a 1963 box office smash that has since joined the ranks of other POW classics, such as Grand Illusion (1937) and The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957). While the film was blessed with a cast that boasted some of the best actors working in the movies, none was hotter than Steve McQueen, who had the starring role as the camp cynic and American rebel, "Cooler King" Hilts. In less flashy roles, James Garner and Donald Pleasence provide strong dramatic support as cellmates who attempt an equally daring escape from the camp. Based on a real-life war story that was sold to director John Sturges on his promise to remain faithful to the actual event, The Great Escape was not completely truthful in its depiction of a mass escape from a Nazi prisoner of war camp. But it had in its favor a wealth of bravado stunts, exciting action scenes, suspenseful moments of deception and discovery, incidental humor, appealing performances, and noble sentimentality that guaranteed its run as not only one of the most successful motion pictures of 1963 but one of the best-liked adventures of all time. Even many who weren't yet born when it was released treasure memories of seeing the film, and it continues to resonate with audiences and filmmakers alike in references, parodies, and affectionate tributes that crop up in dozens of movies and television shows to this day. The Great Escape also remains a classic in the repertoire of Steve McQueen, one of the most popular screen stars of all time. The picture went a long way to establishing him in that position, as well as helping create, through his individualistic character Hilts, the King of Cool image by which the star is known today, even years after his untimely death at the age of 50 in 1980. Everyone in the cast has his moment to shine, and the production is notable for an equally strong performance by James Garner, early work by future stars James Coburn and Charles Bronson, and the introduction of a number of British actors to international audiences such as Richard Attenborough, Donald Pleasence, David McCallum and John Leyton. Sturges never wavered from his initial intention of making a true ensemble piece in which each character, each cog in the intricate escape machine, functions equally. Sturges has been noted as one of the first directors to make solid dramatic use of the wide screen format, pushing it beyond its function as a mere gimmick to lure audiences back into theaters. He uses it to excellent effect in The Great Escape, not only in the exciting escape-and-pursuit action scenes but also to convey a sense of the length and narrowness of the claustrophobic escape tunnels. Beyond a sense of fun, adventure, and suspense, Sturges keeps his focus on process and relationships, striving for a solid sense of character and a tribute to cooperation and the human spirit that has made the film a perennial favorite.