Overview
Amidst the bleakness of war, laughter becomes a weapon of survival.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- cynical
- claustrophobic
- classic film night
- war movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Billy Wilder's direction, William Holden's performance, ensemble acting, and the film's successful transformation of a stage play into darkly funny wartime entertainment.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The POWs trade insults, contraband, and sexual jokes while facing executions and German surveillance.
Barracks 4 suspects J.J. Sefton after repeated escape attempts are exposed and prisoners are killed.
Sefton initially seeks only personal comfort but is forced to identify the real German agent.
The story centers on the all-sergeant Barracks 4 and its crowded, highly interactive prisoner community.
Films like Stalag 17, and why
The Great Escape
shared black comedy, wartime confinement, ensemble tension, and deception
The Bridge on the River Kwai
shared World War II setting, prison-camp suspense, moral ambiguity, and ensemble camaraderie
The Apartment
shared Billy Wilder wit, cynical humor, dramatic reversals, and morally complicated protagonists
The Secret of Santa Vittoria
shared wartime POW setting, comic ensemble dynamics, and escape-driven suspense
Movie Details
- Director
- Billy Wilder
- Release Date
- 1953-05-29
- Runtime
- 120 min
- Rating
- 7.7 / 10 (690)
Cast
- William Holden
- Don Taylor
- Otto Preminger
- Robert Strauss
- Harvey Lembeck
- Richard Erdman
- Peter Graves
- Neville Brand
- Sig Ruman
- Michael Moore
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Stalag 17 about?
- In a German POW barracks, a self-serving wheeler-dealer must outwit suspicion and uncover the traitor endangering his fellow prisoners.
- What is Stalag 17 like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Stalag 17 as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Stalag 17 violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Stalag 17 as mild.
- What did critics think of Stalag 17?
- Critics broadly praised Billy Wilder's direction, William Holden's performance, ensemble acting, and the film's successful transformation of a stage play into darkly funny wartime entertainment.
- Which films are like Stalag 17?
- Films with a similar feel include The Great Escape, The Bridge on the River Kwai, The Apartment, and The Secret of Santa Vittoria.
- How long is Stalag 17?
- Stalag 17 runs 120 minutes.
- Where can I watch Stalag 17?
- In United States, Stalag 17 is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand.
