Stalag 17 (1953)

Stalag 17 is a sharp, darkly funny wartime drama set in a German POW camp in late 1944. When two men are killed during an escape attempt, the men of Barracks 4 grow convinced there’s a traitor among them — and all fingers point to the cynical, cigarette‑rich wheeler‑dealer J.J. Sefton. Sefton, who trades with the guards to secure small comforts, denies betraying his comrades and, increasingly isolated and beaten by the mob, resolves to dig up the real informer to clear his name. Watchers will experience a taut mix of suspense and gallows humor: claustrophobic barracks life, sharp dialogue, simmering tension as alliances form and fracture, and moments of genuine warmth and camaraderie under pressure. The film balances gritty, realistic details of POW survival (black markets, escape plots, interrogations) with sly character work and moral ambiguity — you’ll find yourself unsure whom to trust and rooting for the unlikely antihero even as the mystery deepens. Expect a steady buildup of tension and a satisfying, surprising payoff that reframes what you thought you knew about loyalty, survival and honor in wartime.

Actors: William Holden, Don Taylor, Otto Preminger

Director: Billy Wilder

Runtime: 120 min

Genres: Comedy, Drama, War

7.6 /10 84 /100 8.0 /10 8.0 /10