“- Chon Wang: I got an idea: why don't I pretend I'm sick, and then you can attack the guard when they come in?
- Roy O'Bannon: Oh, you mean the sick prisoner routine? Does that still work in China? 'Cause here it's sorta been done to death.”
Jackie Chan - Chon Wang
Owen Wilson - Roy O'Bannon

“I think I have a plan. Why don't we throw a bomb the way we want to go and then when it goes off, we run like goddamn bastards!”
Finn Carter - Rhonda LeBeck

“- Jimmy Booth: The second way out, I need you guy's help, and that's under.
- Billy Hayes: You mean tunnel? Are you serious?
- Max: This is Shagmahr prison, not Stalag 17.
- Jimmy Booth: Well that's where you're wrong fuckface, because it's already built!”
Randy Quaid - Jimmy Booth
Brad Davis - Billy Hayes
Sir John Hurt - Max

“- Kate: Planning a holiday? Or an escape?
- Jack Elgin: Who knows?”
Charlotte Rampling - Kate
Jeremy Irons - Jack Elgin

“- Joe Moore: Anybody can get the goods. The hard part's getting away. You plan a good enough getaway, you could steal Ebbets Field.
- Mickey Bergman: Ebbets Field's gone.
- Joe Moore: What did I tell you?”
Gene Hackman - Joe Moore
Danny DeVito - Mickey Bergman