Escape from Sobibor

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Alan Arkin, Rutger Hauer, and Joanna Pacula in Escape from Sobibor (1987)

German death camp in Sobibor, Poland, killed two hundred fifty thousand Jews. It had the most successful prisoner escape in World War II on October 14, 1943.German death camp in Sobibor, Poland, killed two hundred fifty thousand Jews. It had the most successful prisoner escape in World War II on October 14, 1943.German death camp in Sobibor, Poland, killed two hundred fifty thousand Jews. It had the most successful prisoner escape in World War II on October 14, 1943.

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    Storyline

    Did you know

    • Trivia
      Out of about 300 prisoners who escaped to the woods from Sobibor, only about 60 survived until the end of the war.
    • Goofs
      Shlomo Szmajzner actually had three "brothers" that he requested be kept with him (his real brother, his cousin, and his nephew).
    • Quotes

      Lt. "Sasha" Pechersky: Listen to me! Our day has come! Most of the SS are dead! It's everyone for himself now!

      Leon Feldhendler: Those of you who survive, bear witness! Let the world know what has happened here! God is with you! Now let nothing stop you!

      [escape begins]

    • Alternate versions
      Some television broadcasts of the movie, in particular the version which was shown on the History Channel, cut a lengthy scene after the escape attempt at the beginning of the film (attempted by a work detail cutting through the camp fence with garden tools) where the detail is shot dead with their bodies then displayed to the rest of the camp as a warning. In the cut version, there is no mention of what happened to these escapees after their escape attempt.
    Featured review
    9/10
    The uprising of the Jews in the death camp of Sobibor, with the escape of three hundred Jews, is brilliantly presented in this awesome movie. The excellent Alan Arkin performs Leon Feldhendler, a natural leader, organizing and motivating the prisoners. Rutger Hauer, in an excellent shape (in 1987), has also a marvelous performance as Alexander 'Sasha' Pechersky, a Russian POW. The gorgeous Joanna Pacula plays Luka, a very brave woman. The explanation of Leon to a new prisoner, why they should dance, play, laugh and make love after the execution of their families, is very touching and respectful. It is indeed an amazing lesson of survival. I have to confess that I am tired of corny movies like `The Pianist', which only shows disgrace and misery of some Jewish persons in the Second World War. We, viewers, are aware of the massacre of Jews in the WWII, but I note that this type of movie is becoming more brutal and explicit. Is it because the world society in 2004 can support watching such brutalities? Is it an adaptation of a historic fact to the violence of the present days? But `Escape From Sobibor' portraits Jews not only as passive victims going (or staying) in the slaughterhouse like a lambs, but also as a very brave people, fighting for survival. It does not mean that the brutality and sadism of certain SS officers is not shown, like the killing of the mother and her baby, or the shot of twenty-six defenseless prisoners, or the use of the whip by some German. But again, it is not explicitly shown as in some movies, with blood, pieces of brain etc., with the only intention of shocking the viewer more than necessary. All the cast has an outstanding performance. The direction is stunning: the scenes of the escape are very real. For example, when the desperate prisoners climbs the wire while escaping is very impressive. Just for reference, another excellent movie about this theme is Jon Avnet's `Uprising'. My vote is nine.

    Title (Brazil) `Fuga de Sobibor, O Campo do Inferno' (`Escape From Sobibor, the Hell Camp')

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    Details

    • Runtime
      2 hours 23 minutes
    • Color
    • Sound mix
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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    Alan Arkin, Rutger Hauer, and Joanna Pacula in Escape from Sobibor (1987)
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