The Wooden Horse

Based on Eric Williams' novel The Tunnel Escape, former wartime documentary filmmaker jack Lee's The Wooden Horse brought one of World War II's most famous escape stories to the cinema only five years after the end of the war, and established a model for many similar films that followed.

Peter (Leo Genn), Phil (David Tomlinson) and John (Anthony Steel) lead a group of Allied POWs held captive by the Nazis in Stalag Luft III who hatch an audacious plan to escape from right under their captors' noses. Inspired Greek mythology, the trio use an exercise vaulting horse to disguise their escape tunnelling activities.

Filmed on location in Germany in a specially reconstructed POW Camp and based on a true incident, The Wooden Horse's numerous distinguishing qualities include an honesty of characterisation, affecting lead performances and a convincing and wholly realistic sense of place and environment., Based on Eric Williams' novel The Tunnel Escape, former wartime documentary filmmaker jack Lee's The Wooden Horse brought one of World War II's most famous escape stories to the cinema only five years after the end of the war, and established a model for many similar films that followed.

Peter (Leo Genn), Phil (David Tomlinson) and John (Anthony Steel) lead a group of Allied POWs held captive by the Nazis in Stalag Luft III who hatch an audacious plan to escape from right under their captors' noses. Inspired Greek mythology, the trio use an exercise vaulting horse to disguise their escape tunnelling activities.

Filmed on location in Germany in a specially reconstructed POW Camp and based on a true incident, The Wooden Horse's numerous distinguishing qualities include an honesty of characterisation, affecting lead performances and a convincing and wholly realistic sense of place and environment.

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