Escape from Sobibor (1987): Cast & Plot
Escape from Sobibor is a 1987 war thriller directed by Jack Gold, starring Howard K. Smith as Narrator (voice), Hartmut Becker and Alan Arkin. It runs 2 hours 49 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 49m (169 min)
- Director
- Jack Gold
- Original language
-
English
- Studio
- Zenith Entertainment
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Escape from Sobibor About?
The premise of Escape from Sobibor without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
The true story of WWII’s notorious Sobibor Nazi death camp, where a courageous inmate orchestrates and leads the escape of over 300 prisoners.
Escape from Sobibor Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- escape
- sobibor
- nazi
- concentration camp
- shoah
- jewish resistance
- prisoner of war
- mass murder
- uprising
- extermination camp
- nazi uniform
- brutality
+38 more Show fewer
- male frontal nudity
- world war two
- holocaust
- ss uniform
- foreigner playing russian character
- ss officer
- jewish
- sobibor death camp
- death camp
- nazi death camp
- nazi extermination camp
- nazi occupied poland
- nazi occupation of poland
- the holocaust
- schutzstaffel
- extermination
- human extermination
- concentration camp escape
- mass killing
- jew
- nazi germany
- nazi concentration camp
- concentration camp survivor
- polish jew
- starving
- dead body
- beaten to death
- war violence
- violence
- baby killer
- stabbing
- stabbed to death
- place name in title
- undressing
- shower
- dead children
- nudity
- labor camp
Escape from Sobibor Cast & Characters
Howard K. Smith leads the cast as Narrator (voice), with Hartmut Becker as Hauptscharführer Gustav Wagner and Alan Arkin as Leon Feldhendler. Directed by Jack Gold; 45 actors are credited in all.
- Director Jack Gold
- Howard K. Smith as Narrator (voice)
- Hartmut Becker as Hauptscharführer Gustav Wagner
-
Alan Arkin as Leon Feldhendler -
Rutger Hauer as Alexander 'Sasha' Pechersky
Also Starring in Escape from Sobibor
· 41 more- Kurt Raab Oberscharführer Karl Frenzel
- Predrag 'Preža' Milinković Kapo Jacob
- David Miller Mundek
- Joanna Pacula Luka
- Jack Shepherd Itzhak Lichtman
- Dragomir Stanojević Guard (uncredited)
- Jelena Žigon Shlomo's Mother (uncredited)
- Irfan Mensur Kalimali
- Rastislav Jović Shlomo's Father (uncredited)
- Miroljub Lešo Prisoner (uncredited)
- Svetislav 'Bule' Goncić Gardener
- Mihailo 'Miša' Janketić Kapo Berliner
- Linal Haft Oberkapo Porchek
- Božidar Pavićević 'Longa' SS-Sturmmann Ivan Klatt (uncredited)
- Ullrich Haupt Unterscharführer Wolf
- Sara Sugarman Naomi
Show all 45 cast members Show fewer cast members
- Erol Kadić Gardener (uncredited)
- Svetolik Nikačević Old Man
- Patti Love Eda
- Peter Jonfield Kapo Sturm
- Milan Erak SS Corporal (uncredited)
- Ned Vukovic Morris
- Robert Gwilym Chaim Engel
- Zoran Stojiljković Boris
- Emil Wolk Samuel
- Klaus Grünberg Sgt. Bauer
- Eric P. Caspar Capt. Franz Reichleitner
- Jack Chissick Hershel
- Wolfgang Bathke Sgt. Hurst
- Hugo Bower Sgt. Beckmann
- Henning Gissel Sgt. Fallaster
- Simon Gregor Shlomo
- Predrag Todorović Guard (uncredited)
- Jason Norman Toivi Blatt
- Eli Nathenson Moses Szmajzner
- Henry Stolow Lt. Niemann
- Ellis van Maarseveen Selma
- Judith Sharp Bajle
- Dijana Kržanić Esther
- Dejan Čavić Kapo Spitz
- Zlatan Fazlagić Weiss
More from Jack Gold
More films directed by Jack Gold, best-rated first: The Medusa Touch, Goodnight, Mister Tom, Into the Blue and Heavy Weather.
Escape from Sobibor Plot Summary
What happens in Escape from Sobibor from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 13 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
The film opens with a new trainload of Polish Jews arriving for processing at Sobibor, narrated by Howard K. Smith. The German Commandant greets the newcomers with a polished speech, presenting Sobibor as a work camp and trying to set a tone of routine. As officers move along the assembled lines, they select a small number of prisoners with specific trades—goldsmiths, seamstresses, shoemakers, and tailors—while the rest are sent to a different section where a constant plume of smoke signals the grim fate awaiting those who are not kept in the loop. The difference between appearance and reality becomes stark quickly: Sobibor is really a death camp, where the vast majority are exterminated in gas chambers and their bodies are cremated in large ovens.
Full summary
The whole story of Escape from Sobibor, scene by scene
How Well Do You Know Escape from Sobibor?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who provides the narration for the film?
Cars in Escape from Sobibor
2 cars on screen: the 1962 FAP 1314 and the 1940 Volkswagen Kübelwagen Typ 82.
-
1962 FAP 1314 Minor role -
1940 Volkswagen Kübelwagen Typ 82 Minor role
Escape from Sobibor Also Known As
25 alternative titles, including “Fuga de Sobibor” and “Szökés Sobiborból”.
- Also known as
-
- Fuga de Sobibor
- Szökés Sobiborból
- Escapada final
- La escapada de Sobibor
- Flykten från Sobibor
- Flukten fra Sobibor
- Escape de Sobibor
- Ucieczka z Sobiboru
- Powstanie w Sobiborze
- Bunt w Sobiborze
- Απόδραση Από το Sobibor
- Fuga da Sobibor
+13 more Show fewer
- Flucht aus Sobibor
- La escapada de Sobibor (Escapada final)
- Побег из Собибора
- Les rescapés de Sobibor
- 逃离索比堡
- הבריחה מסוביבור
- Бягство от Собибор
- 소비버 탈출
- Pako Sobiborista
- Flugten fra Sobibor
- 逃離索比堡
- Evadarea din Sobibor, გაქცევა სობიბორიდან
- Útěk ze Sobiboru
Seen Escape from Sobibor?
Movies Like Escape from Sobibor
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Escape from Sobibor, Sobibor and The Escape.
Escape from Sobibor FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of Escape from Sobibor, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Escape from Sobibor?
Escape from Sobibor runs 2 hours 49 minutes (169 minutes).
When was Escape from Sobibor released?
Escape from Sobibor was released on April 12, 1987.
Who directed Escape from Sobibor?
Escape from Sobibor was directed by Jack Gold.
More films by Jack Gold Who is in the cast of Escape from Sobibor?
Escape from Sobibor stars Howard K. Smith as Narrator (voice), Hartmut Becker as Hauptscharführer Gustav Wagner and Alan Arkin as Leon Feldhendler, among 45 credited actors.
Does Escape from Sobibor have a post-credit scene?
No. Escape from Sobibor has no extra scene during or after the credits.
Coming soon to your phone
The Plot Explained Movie Summary App
From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.
Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app
