One of the best war films ever made is 'must-see classic' now streaming for free

Regarded as one of the quintessential war films of all time, this must-watch classic is now available for free streaming on Amazon Prime.

The Great Escape, one of the original war films, is a genre-defining masterpiece that every film enthusiast or cinema lover should watch at least once in their lifetime.

With its unforgettable music and an extraordinary performance by Steve McQueen, it gave us the iconic scene of the actor riding a motorcycle over barbed wire, a moment that has become a part of cinema history.

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Joining the Hollywood legend is a stellar cast including Richard Attenborough, James Garner, Charles Bronson, Donald Pleasence and James Coburn, who portray real-life British, American and allied soldiers trapped in a prisoner of war camp.

The film is adapted from the 1950 non-fiction book by Australian author Paul Brickhill, sharing the same title, and narrates the story of the Allied attempted escape from Stalag Luft III camp in 1944, reports the Express.

Among the prisoners determined to break free are American Captain Virgil Hilts and British Squadron Leader Roger Bartlett.

It's their meticulous planning and cleverness that enabled the Allied prisoners-of-war to escape right under the noses of the Nazis, in one of the most remarkable tales of resilience and struggle from the war. However, while the film concludes with some escapees successfully fleeing Germany, many are recaptured and returned to the camp.

In truth, the breakout was a far grimmer affair with just three managing a successful getaway from the facility, whilst the remainder were commanded to be executed by Hitler, who felt humiliated by the nearly triumphant bid.

The Great Escape has consistently featured in top 10 rankings of the finest war pictures ever produced.

It's not merely cherished by critics and historians but also successive generations of viewers who keep discovering it as it gets handed down through families as a quintessential Sunday afternoon viewing.

Boasting a "certified fresh" rating of 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, you'll frequently spot it topping lists of the greatest war films ever crafted.

Cautioning about its notably lengthy duration, Wendy Ide of the Times penned: "This star-laden real-life tale of teamwork and derring-do is a trifle flabby at nearly three hours, but there is no denying that this is one of the best loved of all Second World War films."

Meanwhile Andrew Collins from the Radio Times noted: "This is one of the all-time great war movies, a PoW adventure from director John Sturges that celebrates the indomitable spirit of the Allied forces even when their backs were to the wall."

The picture is accessible to watch without charge on Amazon Prime Video for anyone holding an active Amazon Prime membership.