Comments on: And You Thought Houdini Was Good!?

By: jski

jski — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 06:29:18 +0000

Way back in the day (mid ’80′s), I had a history teacher in high school who always used the same substitute teacher. I am ashamed to admit that I do not recall his name, but I do know that some famous actor or another portrayed him in “The Great Escape”. He used to tell the most amazing stories. Here is some of what I remember:
He desperately wanted to go fight the Nazis, but the U.S. was not yet involved in the war, so he immigrated to Canada, and joined their military as a pilot. He was eventually shot down, and sent to a POW camp. He participated in the escapes of other inmates (thus his character appearing in the movie), but did not himself escape, so that he could continue aiding others’ escapes.
An interesting thing that he told us involved the Red Cross supplies: At some point in the war, the Germans did not have the men to spare to escort/drive the Red Cross trucks (or perhaps it was to dangerous and the Red Cross wouldn’t drive into Nazi territory, I can’t remember the details), so the Nazis would actually let a prisoner out to go get the truck! If this volunteer decided to not come back, but instead escaped, the British would actually turn him back over to the Germans!
This individual also claimed to have accidentally created penicillin! The story, as he told it, goes like this: After some point in the war, when the Germans were loosing badly, the Red Cross trucks were no longer allowed through, and the Germans did not have the resources to adequately feed the POWs. The story teller had apparently stashed a tin of food (can’t remember what kind) in his sock, saved for a rainy day, as it were. After months of near starvation, and being quite ill, he decided to eat his stash. He opened the tin, and the contents were moldy. At this point, he didn’t really care, and ate the moldy food, anyway. As he told the story, within a few days he quite healthy again. Damn, I wish I could remember his name.

By: matthew1701

matthew1701 — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:43:25 +0000

There has also been a more recent film about the Colditz story. I believe it was out on tv as perhaps a mini series, but I rented it at block buster. This version has Jason Preistly (probably the best known cast name) as a downed Canadian pilot, with a drug problem, as the camps scrounger and is a compelling watch!

By: Radiatidon

Radiatidon — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 13:37:45 +0000

[quote]Former-Marine said: "For a second or two, the Glider drops out of site (and you don't know if it crashed or not). Next thing you know, the Glider pulls out of the dive and swoops off…thus, the allowing the one or two (don't remember) POWs to escape. That was one of the Best Damn endings of any movie I've seen. THANK YOU JOSH, for reminding me of this great movie (if only I can find out the title……)."[/quote] Hmm, I don’t recall the glider in the black and white movie called The Colditz Story made in 1955. Though the movie had additional fictional elements added, just to spice up the show, it was fairly accurate. Based on the books by Pat Reid. If memory serves me right (slightly brown with a zesty sizzle), I believe that the movie The Birdman (1971) was the first to mentioned the use of a glider to escape. This is more than probable the movie you refer to. The next was in a series on BBC television called Colditz (1972-1974) If you follow this link, Fiddlersgreen (a model building site), this is a short story about Colditz and the glider. It includes some nice pictures of the castle, the actual glider, and a model. Hope this helps The Don

By: Former-Marine

Former-Marine — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 07:06:18 +0000

Oorah! Steve McQueen (The Great Escape, Bullitt, etc, etc) was a great Actor. I saw a movie (I think in the 1970′s) about Colditz (I only know this because of the wonderful story here on Damn Interesting). The last few minutes of the movie shows the catapult going into action (ie, with the bathtub full of cement) then the Glider launching off the top of the castle. For a second or two, the Glider drops out of site (and you don’t know if it crashed or not). Next thing you know, the Glider pulls out of the dive and swoops off…thus, the allowing the one or two (don’t remember) POWs to escape. That was one of the Best Damn endings of any movie I’ve seen. THANK YOU JOSH, for reminding me of this great movie (if only I can find out the title……).

By: Merciless

Merciless — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 17:51:40 +0000

Nice job & Damn Interesting. I always enjoy seeing, reading, and hearing about escapes and attempts of prisoners from war(s).

By: Wargamer

Wargamer — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 02:43:07 +0000

Thanks Rad,

I seem to remember a BBC series on CBC in Canada of such, where they made a fake wall in an attic to hide the glider they were building and using gymnastics equipment for escapes and more.

By: Radiatidon

Radiatidon — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 22:33:18 +0000

Wargamer said: "I'd add "A Bridge Too Far" as well. All I hope to have in my DVD collection.

Back in the days when the biggest stars were willing to accept even bit and cameo parts to be part of a story. "

There are some shows made about this castle. First was a movie made back in the fifties called "The Colditz Story", the script was somewhat lame, but still interesting. Then there was a documentary called “Escape from Colditz” made in England in 2001. This one featured actual English and French POWs’ and their exploits. It included having the POWs’ revisit the Castle, many for the first time since the war. In my opinion the best was a mini-series from the 1970’s called simply “Colditz”. Robert Wagner appeared in several episodes and it was based on the many attempts utilized by actual prisoners.

By: Wargamer

Wargamer — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 21:53:14 +0000

I’d add “A Bridge Too Far” as well. All I hope to have in my DVD collection.

Back in the days when the biggest stars were willing to accept even bit and cameo parts to be part of a story. No ‘headliners’. Like “The Magnificent Seven” as well. Ah, those were the days. Actors not stars. The closest thing we have to that today are the friends who do the “Ocean’s Eleven” remakes. Thanks guys, classy and love it.

I’ll save the criticisms of hollywood Americanising history someplace else ;).

By: Melon Head

Melon Head — Tue, 23 May 2006 05:28:31 +0000

I like the scene in “Great Escape” where they made a batch of hootch for Independence Day.

By: Scrappy

Scrappy — Sat, 10 Dec 2005 03:57:05 +0000

If you loved “The Great Escape” watch “The Longest Day”