What is the plot of Stalag 17?

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Billy Wilder poses in a suit and hat, leaning against a streetlamp with a sign reading Sunset Blvd. in a promotional photo for the film Sunset Boulevard. — Billy Wilder Billy Wilder in a promotional photograph for *Sunset Boulevard* (1950), which he directed.

Directed by Billy Wilder, the 1953 film Stalag 17 is set in a German prisoner-of-war camp during World War II. The story follows American airmen enduring camp life and failed escape attempts.

The plot centers on Sgt. J.J. Sefton, a cynical loner who barters with guards and bets on escape outcomes. When two prisoners are killed during an escape, the others suspect Sefton of being a Nazi informant and beat him. Sefton eventually discovers the true traitor is the barracks' security chief, Sergeant Price. Price’s cover is exposed when he fails a question regarding the attack on Pearl Harbor.

The inmates force Price into the courtyard, where he is killed by guards. Amidst the confusion, Sefton and Lieut. James Dunbar successfully escape. The film, which features an Academy Award-winning performance by William Holden, is noted for its blend of suspense and comedy, later inspiring the television series Hogan’s Heroes.1