The Escape_
"Put a fence in front of these men... and they'll climb it!"
The Nazis, exasperated at the number of escapes from their prison camps by a relatively small number of Allied prisoners, relocate them to a high-security 'escape-proof' camp to sit out the remainder of the war. Undaunted, the prisoners plan one of the most ambitious escape attempts of World War II. Based on a true story.
Director
Eduardo Mignogna
Starring
Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough
Box Office
$11.7M
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
MGM Amazon Channel
9 countries
Rakuten TV
8 countries
Hoopla
FREE
2 countries
Tubi
FREE
2 countries
fuboTV
1 country
Philo
1 country
DROPTHE_ GOSSIP
Box office
The Escape earned $11.7M worldwide on a $4.0M budget — a 193% return on investment.
Eduardo Mignogna →
Year context
The Escape was released 25 years ago in 2001.
CAST (20)
Steve McQueen
Hilts 'The Cooler King'
James Garner
Hendley 'The Scrounger'
Richard Attenborough
Bartlett 'Big X'
James Donald
Ramsey 'The SBO'
Charles Bronson
Danny 'Tunnel King'
Donald Pleasence
Blythe 'The Forger'
James Coburn
Sedgwick 'Manufacturer'
Hannes Messemer
Von Luger 'The Kommandant'
David McCallum
Ashley-Pitt 'Dispersal'
Gordon Jackson
MacDonald 'Intelligence'
John Leyton
Willie 'Tunnel King'
Angus Lennie
Ives 'The Mole'
Nigel Stock
Cavendish 'The Surveyor'
Robert Graf
Werner 'The Ferret'
Jud Taylor
Goff
Hans Reiser
Herr Kuhn
Harry Riebauer
Stratwitch
William Russell
Sorren
Robert Freitag
Capt. Posen
Ulrich Beiger
Preissen
CREW
BOX OFFICE
$4.0M
Budget
$11.7M
Revenue
+193%
ROI
BLOCKBUSTER
Verdict
STUDIOS (1)
AWARDS (1)
B
National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
WON
DETAILS
Release
Status
Released
Runtime
173 min (2h 53m)
Language
Spanish
Country
Rating
7.9/10 (2,767 votes)
Popularity
4
Budget
$4,000,000
Box Office
$11,700,000
Profit
+$7,700,000
IMDB
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is The Escape about?
The Nazis, exasperated at the number of escapes from their prison camps by a relatively small number of Allied prisoners, relocate them to a high-security 'escape-proof' camp to sit out the remainder of the war. Undaunted, the prisoners plan one of the most ambitious escape attempts of World War II. Based on a true story.
How long is The Escape?
The Escape has a runtime of 173 minutes (2h 53m).
Who directed The Escape?
The Escape was directed by Eduardo Mignogna.
Who stars in The Escape?
The cast of The Escape includes Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough, James Donald, Charles Bronson.
How much did The Escape make at the box office?
The Escape earned $11,700,000 worldwide at the box office. The production budget was $4,000,000.
What is the rating of The Escape?
The Escape has a rating of 7.9 out of 10 based on 2,767 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (3)
Adventure
Drama
War
KEYWORDS (30)
prison
uniform
swastika
prisoner
based on novel or book
nazi
escape
optimism
freedom
machinegun
switzerland
shower
dystopia
baseball
world war ii
prisoner of war
claustrophobia
attempt to escape
barbed wire
based on true story
prison guard
prison escape
tragedy
solitary confinement
motorcycle
alps mountains
british officer
1940s
luftwaffe
soldiers