Stalag 17 – A Movie Out of War
Among the attempts of many directors to portray the horrors of war, nothing has come closer than Stalag 17. This 1953 film directed by a Jewish refugee himself depicted the atrocities of war and how the extreme living conditions could change the very personality of human beings. This highly acclaimed film is considered as one of the best films illustrating how violent war can be. Moreover, it told people of the universal truth that until people are tried under the harshest living conditions, it is nearly impossible to tell which one is telling the truth and which one is full of lies.
The plot of Stalag 17 is centered on the struggle of a group of prisoners of war to escape the infamous Stalag 17. However, despite their ingenious plot for their great escape, they have always been discovered and hindered from achieving their true goals. The plots progressively turned into a darker shade as the POWs discover that there is a traitor amongst them who is constantly leaking out their plans to camp officers. This treachery has left them with many sacrifices that included the death of two of their inmates.
As the plot of the story progresses, the prisoners of war are able to realize the compelling truth that war would truly bring about the very nature of human beings. Their constant struggle to fight insanity amidst the extreme living conditions and unspeakable horrors in war camps is really one to admire. During wars, only the fittest are able to survive and live to see another day. Thus, people are more than willing to pull each other down rather than help one another to achieve their desired goal. However, it was portrayed that in the end, people who know how to outwit others are the only ones capable of a great escape.