A Man Escaped (1956) Un condamné à mort s'est échappé ou Le vent souffle où il veut (original title)

Director:

Robert Bresson

Writers:

Robert Bresson (scenario and dialogue)
André Devigny (memoir)

Release Date:

26 August 1957 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller | War

Plot:

French Resistance activist Andre Devigny is imprisoned by the Nazis, and devotes his waking hours to planning an elaborate escape...

Plot Keywords:

Escape | French Resistance | Nazi | Prison Break | Prison

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 3 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

François Leterrier	...	Le lieutenant Fontaine
Charles Le Clainche	...	François Jost
Maurice Beerblock	...	Blanchet
Roland Monod	...	Le pasteur Deleyris
Jacques Ertaud	...	Orsini
Jean Paul Delhumeau	...	Hebrard
Roger Treherne	...	Terry
Jean Philippe Delamarre	...	Le prisonnier 10
Jacques Oerlemans	...	Le gardien-chef
Klaus Detlef Grevenhorst	...	L'officier de L'Abwehr
Leonhard Schmidt	...	Le garde de l'escorte
Roger Planchon	...	Le garde cycliste
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
André Collombet	...	(uncredited)
César Gattegno	...	Le prisonnier X (uncredited)
Max Schoendorff	...	Un soldat allemand (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Bresson

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Robert Bresson		scenario and dialogue
André Devigny		memoir

Produced by
Alain Poiré	....	producer
Jean Thuillier	....	producer

Cinematography by
Léonce-Henri Burel		(as L.H. Burel)

Film Editing by
Raymond Lamy

Production Design by
Pierre Charbonnier

Art Direction by
Pierre Charbonnier

Production Management
Irénée Leriche	....	unit manager
Robert Sussfeld	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jacques Ballanche	....	assistant director
Michel Clément	....	assistant director

Art Department
Sydney Bettex	....	assistant production designer

Sound Department
Joseph Abjean	....	boom operator
Pierre-André Bertrand	....	sound engineer
Guy Rophé	....	sound assistant

Camera and Electrical Department
Jean-Louis Castelli	....	still photographer
Jean Charvein	....	first assistant camera
Jean Chiabaut	....	second assistant camera
Henri Raichi	....	camera operator

Editorial Department
Anne Kespars	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Isaïe Disenhaus	....	conductor (as I. Disenhaus)

Other crew
Annie Dubouillon	....	script girl
Andrew Litvack	....	subtitler: English (1994 version)
Anne Walter	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Gaumont (as SNE Gaumont)
• Nouvelles Éditions de Films (NEF)

Distributors

• Gaumont (1956) (France) (theatrical) (as Gaumont Distribution)
• Continental Distributing (1957) (USA) (theatrical) (English subtitles)
• Eurooppalainen Filmi (1960) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Gala Film Distributors (1960) (UK) (theatrical)
• Globe (????) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Artificial Eye (1993) (UK) (VHS)
• Artificial Eye (2008) (UK) (DVD)
• Atlantic Film (2010) (Finland) (DVD)
• Audivisivi San Paolo (????) (Italy) (VHS)
• Criterion Collection, The (2013) (USA) (DVD)
• Europa Vision (????) (Finland) (video)
• Gaumont Video (2010) (France) (DVD)
• Gaumont Video (2010) (France) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Gaumont/Columbia TriStar Home Video (GCTHV) (1995) (France) (VHS)
• Kinokuniya (2009) (Japan) (DVD)
• Lab 80 Film (????) (Italy) (DVD)
• New Yorker Films (1994) (USA) (VHS) (new English subtitles)
• New Yorker Films (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Prodimag (2006) (Spain) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Franstudio  studio facilities

Also Known As:

"Un condamné à mort s'est échappé ou Le vent souffle où il veut" - France (original title)
"A Man Escaped or: The Wind Bloweth Where It Listeth" - USA (complete title)

Runtime:

99 min | Portugal:90 min (censored version)

Country:

France

Language:

French | German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Norway:12 | Sweden:15 | USA:Not Rated | UK:U (1990) | Australia:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Studios de Saint-Maurice, Saint-Maurice, Val-de-Marne, France

Company:

Gaumont

Trivia:

Bresson insisted on complete authenticity. Original author Andre Devigny served as adviser on the film, which was actually shot in the same Montluc prison where he was incarcerated. Devigny also loaned Bresson the ropes and hooks he had used in his escape.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Gefängnisbilder (2003)

Soundtrack:

Great Mass in C Minor, No.16 (K.427) - Kyrie

Amazing, one of the best movies ever made

Though the title seems to ruin the end, the movie isn't boring for a moment. Suspense to the end. Marvelous filmmaking. The movie follows slowly and quietly the day of the prisoner who's to be executed and plans an escape. I don't know what else to say. You have to watch this. 32 of the 46 voters gave it a 10! Genius. They don't make movies like this often. Must See for movie lovers and all.