On the 70th anniversary of the Great Escape from Stalag Luft III, academic Sally Wharbouton - speaking at a conference at the University of Kent at Canterbury - has slammed the film, based on the mass breakout in 1944, as "sexist, racist, possibly homophobic and symptomatic of the hetero-film maker at their most ape like."
The academic went on to describe the film as: "Probably the most Sexist movie of all time."
Speaking at the conference on transgender film making at the University, Ms Wharbouton pinpointed the film as a key example of the uphill struggle against "everyday sexism" that women still face in the film-making industry.
Ms Wharbouton, who has made a detailed analysis of the number of female role-models in the film, revealed that in the whole 165 minutes only three women appear and two of those are "back shots of women on a train in hats". Ms Wharbouton accused the film of a 'total disregard of women and their lives' and singled out the famous escape scene for special attention. "Not only are no women seen escaping, but we are subjected to the added indignity of no women hunting them down. Are we to believe that the German Stasi and secret police were made up entirely of men?"
The 1963 film, which memorably featured Steve McQueen tackling his own stunts on a motorcycle, was based on actual events and regularly features on lists of "top ten war films of all time." When challenged over the relevance of her remarks Professor Wharbouton added "Women died in World War 2 as well and I am fairly certain that women were also imprisoned by the Nazis. Where is their film? Richard Attenborough likes to make a big deal about his liberal credentials but he has never once rejected this sexist nonsense for what it is."
A spokesperson for United Artists, that made the film, refused to comment.
