The Golden Boy Blogathon: «Stalag 17» (1953)
Theatrical release poster Directed by Billy Wilder, Stalag 17 (1953) con cerns a group of American a ir f orce sergeants interned in a Nazi pri soner- of-war camp in 1944. This motley crew of men, placed at Barracks 4, incl udes J. J. Sefton (William Holden), an entrepris ing cynic who trades openly with the German guards for cigarettes, eggs, silk stocking s and other luxuries; Stanislas "Animal" Kusawa (Robert St ra uss), who is in fatu ated with movie star Betty Grable; Harry Shapiro (Harvey Lembeck), A nimal's wisecracking best f riend; Price (Peter Graves), the righteous secu rity ch ief ; Hoffy (Richard E rdman), whom the pr isoners have appointed as their leader ; and Coo kie (Gil St ratton), who inve ntories and protects S efton' s stash of contraband items. One day, fellow in mates Manfre di (Michael Moore) and Joh nson ( Peter Baldw in) try to escape through a tunnel, but are shot by waiting guards when they emerge outside the barbed wire ...