Le Trou (1960) Le trou (original title)

Director:

Jacques Becker

Writers:

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

Release Date:

14 February 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

In prison four long-sentence inmates planning an elaborate escape cautiously induct a new inmate to join in their scheme which leads to distrust and uncertainty.

Plot Keywords:

Warden | Escape | Prison | Santé Prison | Tunnel

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jean Becker	...	Un gardien (uncredited)
Philippe Dumat	...	(uncredited)
Gérard Hernandez	...	Le détenu à l'infirmerie (uncredited)
Jean Luisi	...	(uncredited)
Paul Pavel	...	(uncredited)
Paul Préboist	...	Un gardien (uncredited)
Catherine Spaak	...	Nicole (uncredited)
Dominique Zardi	...	Le détenu qui assiste le gardien à la fouille (uncredited)

Directed by
Jacques Becker

Writing credits
José Giovanni		(novel)
Jacques Becker		(adaptation) and
José Giovanni		(adaptation) and
Jean Aurel		(adaptation)
Jacques Becker		(dialogue) and
José Giovanni		(dialogue)

Produced by
Georges Charlot	....	executive producer
Jean Mottet	....	executive producer
Serge Silberman	....	producer

Original Music by
Philippe Arthuys

Cinematography by
Ghislain Cloquet

Film Editing by
Marguerite Renoir
Geneviève Vaury

Production Design by
Rino Mondellini

Production Management
Paul Laffargue	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jean Becker	....	assistant director

Art Department
Paul Moreau	....	assistant decorator
Jean Taillandier	....	assistant decorator

Sound Department
Jean Bareille	....	sound assistant
Pierre-Louis Calvet	....	sound engineer (as Pierre Calvet)
Maurice Dagonneau	....	sound assistant

Camera and Electrical Department
Gilbert Chain	....	assistant camera
Jean Chiabaut	....	assistant camera
François Lauliac	....	assistant camera
Henry Thibault	....	still photographer

Other crew
Sophie Cloquet	....	script supervisor
Jacqueline Dudilleux	....	administrator
Odette Laeupplée	....	production secretary

Production Companies

• Filmsonor
• Play Art
• Titanus

Distributors

• Bavaria-Filmverleih (1960) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Jerand Film Distributors (1965) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cinédis
• Consort-Orion Films (1964) (USA) (subtitled)
• Criterion Collection, The (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"Le trou" - France (original title)
"The Hole" - International (English title) (literal English title)
"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 | USA:Not Rated

Company:

Filmsonor

Trivia:

Jean-Pierre Melville regarded this as one of the greatest French films ever made.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Rotten Tomatoes Show: Zombieland/A Serious Man/Whip It (#1.30)" (2009)

Becker's Swan Song: Too Good To Be Just Another Prison Movie

Jacques Becker's swan song is a real gem of a film. Le Trou has such an amazing kinetic rhythm to it that one both feels and forgets the claustrophobic environs. Based on a real story turned into a novel by one of the "escapees", the film has excellent casting, wonderful (candel-lit!) cinematography and crisp dialog among its other advantages.

The director was terminally ill during the shoot and was to die after making the final cut. Watching this classic now some four decades since auteur's death, one can only wonder what an artist it would take to demand and achieve such breathtaking perfection in art while combating death at the same time.

Do not let yourself be put off by "yet another prison-movie!" talk. It is too good to be just that. So much so that it could merit comparison with Bresson's "A Man Escaped". A very deserving 10 out of 10.