Le trou (1960)

Director:

Jacques Becker

Writers:

José Giovanni (novel)
Jacques Becker (adaptation) ...

Release Date:

14 February 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

Just as 4 cell-mates are about to launch their elaborate escape from a tiny cell, a detainee from a cell-block under repair is transferred in...

Plot Keywords:

Escape | Mistress | Husband Wife Relationship | Very Little Dialogue | Escape From Prison

Awards:

Nominated for 2 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Michel Constantin	...	Geo Cassine
Jean Keraudy	...	Roland Darbant
Philippe Leroy	...	Manu Borelli
Raymond Meunier	...	Vossellin / Monseigneur
Marc Michel	...	Claude Gaspard (as Mark Michel)
Jean-Paul Coquelin	...	Le lieutenant Grinval (as J. Paul Coquelin)
André Bervil	...	Le directeur
Eddy Rasimi	...	Bouboule

Also Known As:

Il buco (Italy)
The Hole
The Night Watch (USA)

Runtime:

132 min | West Germany:121 min (1984 restored version)

Country:

France | Italy

Language:

French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:K-12 | West Germany:16

Company:

Filmsonor

Trivia:

Becker died two weeks after completing the film.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Mon père, il m'a sauvé la vie (2001)

Sweat-inducing suspense classic

Jacques Becker's "Le Trou" is one of the greatest of all prison-break films. No film lover should miss it. It is every bit as masterful and tense as other milestones of this subgenre, including John Sturges' "The Great Escape," Robert Bresson's masterpiece "A Man Escaped," and Don Siegel's "Escape from Alcatraz." The meticulous preparation for the escape is a nail-biter, with many adrenaline-inducing close calls. The ringer: Will the newly exonerated prisoner stay with the group and escape or rat on the others? Those seeking pure entertainment or those seeking existentialist philosophical fare will be equally pleased. A memorable movie experience.