The movie is based on a novel. The main plot in the novel is fictional, but seems to make use of some existing background information. 1) The movie is based on a novel with the same name from John Katzenbach: "Hart's War is a 2002 film about a fictional World War II prisoner of war based on the novel by John Katzenbach starring Bruce Willis, Colin Farrell and Terrence Howard. The film, directed by Gregory Hoblit, was shot at Barrandov Studios, Prague, Czech Republic and released on 15 February 2002." Source and further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hart%27s_War 2) "John Katzenbach (aka Jon; born in 1950), is an author of popular fiction. Son of Nicholas Katzenbach, John has been a criminal court reporter for the Miami Herald and Miami News and a featured writer for the Herald’s Topic magazine. He is married to Madeleine Blais and they live in western Massachusetts." Source and further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Katzenbach 3) "Katzenbach's father was in fact a prisoner in Stalag 3, I understand, but that's changed to Stalag 13 in the novel." "There are almost too many clichés in this book to make it believable, but it seems that the author received most of his material from his father who was a WWII veteran. I would like to know how much of the Hart's War is true form a WWII prisoner point of view. The bumbling Germans remind me at times of Hogan's Heroes, hiding radios in coffee cans and repeatedly shouting, "There has never been an escape from Luftwaffe 13". However, it is very interesting to learn of the day to day lives of WWII prisoners in a German camp, so the book is not a complete waste." "While the plot is often spellbinding, the book disappoints through the lack of character development and a stunning number of anachronisms and inaccuracies. To cite just a few, the character of Trader Vic is supposedly named after "the famed restauranteur". In fact, Victor Bergeron, the real Trader Vic, had only renamed his Oakland California restaurant, Hinky Dinks, Trader Vic's in 1937, and was hardly famous outside of the Oakland area in 1943. Willy Messerschmitt would have been dismayed to find his fighter planes referred to as "Messerschmidts" thoughout the book. When Hart decides to elist, he "heads towards the T" in Boston,although the usage at the time was the MTA. Guns have the wrong calibers or spellings or both. In the end, these errors are a constant distraction, and undermine the authenticity of the world of Stalag Luft 13." Source: http://www.amazon.com/review/product/0345426258?filterBy=addThreeStar "Based on the novel by John Katzenbach (which, in turn, was based partially on his father Nicholas' experiences as a prisoner of war)" http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1317843 4) "Nicholas deBelleville Katzenbach (born January 17, 1922) is an American lawyer who served as United States Attorney General during the Lyndon B. Johnson administration." "Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Katzenbach attended Phillips Exeter Academy, received his B.A. cum laude from Princeton University in 1945 and his LL.B. cum laude from Yale Law School in 1947." Source and further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Katzenbach "The Personal Papers of Nicholas deBelleville Katzenbach (#125) Biographical Note 1922 Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, January 17 1939 Graduated, Phillips Exeter Academy 1941–1945 Served to First Lieutenant, U.S. Air Force 1943–1945 Prisoner of War, Italy 1945 B.A., Princeton University" Source: http://www.jfklibrary.org/Historical+Resources/Archives/Archives+and+Manuscripts/fa_katzenbach.htm