Breakout (1975)

Director:

Tom Gries

Writers:

Howard B. Kreitsek (screenplay) &
Marc Norman (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

7 March 1975 (West Germany)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama

Tagline:

Sentenced to 28 years in prison for a crime he never committed. Only two things can get him out - A lot of money and Charles Bronson!

Plot:

A bush pilot is hired for $50,000 to go to Mexico to free an innocent prisoner.

Plot Keywords:

Mexico | Pilot | Escape | Prison | Trying To Escape

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Charles Bronson	...	Nick Colton
Robert Duvall	...	Jay Wagner
Jill Ireland	...	Ann Wagner
Randy Quaid	...	Hawk Hawkins
Sheree North	...	Myrna
Jorge Moreno	...	Sosa
Emilio Fernández	...	J.V. (as Emilio Fernandez)
Paul Mantee	...	Telegraphist
Alan Vint	...	Harve
Alejandro Rey	...	Sanchez
William B. White	...	2nd Officer (as Will B. White)
Roy Jenson	...	Spencer
Sidney Clute	...	Henderson
Chalo González	...	Border Guard (as Chalo Gonzalez)
Antonio Tarruella	...	1st Prison Guard
Don Norgano Frill	...	2nd Prison Guard
John Huston	...	Harris Wagner
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
José María Caffarel	...	(uncredited)
Dan Frazer	...	U.S. Customs Agent (uncredited)

Directed by
Tom Gries

Writing credits
Howard B. Kreitsek		(screenplay) &
Marc Norman		(screenplay) &
Elliott Baker		(screenplay)
Warren Hinckle		(suggested by book "Ten Second Jailbreak") &
William Turner		(suggested by book "Ten Second Jailbreak") and
Eliot Asinof		(suggested by book "Ten Second Jailbreak")

Produced by
Robert Chartoff	....	producer
Irwin Winkler	....	producer

Original Music by
Jerry Goldsmith

Cinematography by
Lucien Ballard		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Bud S. Isaacs

Casting by
Jane Feinberg
Mike Fenton

Art Direction by
Alfred Sweeney		(as Alfred Sweeney Jr.)

Set Decoration by
Ira Bates

Costume Design by
Bill Thomas

Makeup Department
Joe DiBella	....	makeup artist (as Joe Di Bella)

Production Management
Stuart Fleming	....	assistant unit manager (as Stu Fleming)
Robert Saussier	....	unit manager: second unit
Sheldon Schrager	....	unit production manager
Jean-Pierre Spiri-Mercanton	....	production manager: second unit

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bob Bender	....	second assistant director
Michel Cheyko	....	assistant director: second unit
Peter Gries	....	second assistant director
Ronald L. Schwary	....	assistant director
Antonio Tarruella	....	first assistant director: second unit (as Antonio Tarruella de Lacourt)

Art Department
Julio Molina	....	set designer: second unit (as Julio Juanes)
David Coleman	....	property master (uncredited)

Sound Department
Al Overton Jr.	....	sound
Richard Daniel	....	location sound mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Augie Lohman	....	special effects

Stunts
Dick Dial	....	stunt coordinator
Russ Dodson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Yerkes	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Manuel Berenguer	....	camera operator: second unit
Dick Johnson	....	camera operator
Felix Martin	....	camera operator: second unit
Ignacio Rodriguez	....	gaffer: second unit
Francisco Sanz	....	key grip: second unit

Editorial Department
Richard A. Radecki	....	assistant editor (as Tony Radecki)

Music Department
Arthur Morton	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Janet Crosby	....	assistant to producer
Dean Engelhardt	....	pilot (as Dean Engelhart)
James W. Gavin	....	helicopter pilot
Gloria Gonzales	....	assistant to producer
Frank Kowalski	....	script supervisor
Phill Norman	....	title designer
Frank L. Pine	....	pilot (as Frank Pine)
Roberto Roberts	....	production coordinator: second unit
Mary Winters	....	production secretary

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1975) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1976) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Warner-Columbia Filmverleih (1975) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• GoodTimes Home Video (1989) (USA) (VHS)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (Brazil) (video)
• Mill Creek Entertainment (2012) (USA) (DVD)
• Nelonen (2002) (Finland) (TV)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures International Video (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Videosonic Arts (1986) (Greece) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Pacific Title  titles and optical effects

Also Known As:

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1975) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG | Iceland:12 | Iceland:12 (original rating) | Iceland:16 (re-rating) | Australia:M | Singapore:PG | West Germany:16 (nf)

Filming Locations:

France

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

This movie is one of only two pictures starring Charles Bronson which use alliteration rhyming his last name with the picture's title. The words BRONSON - BREAKOUT share the same first two letters: "B" and "r". The other movie which also did this was Breakheart Pass (1975), interestingly, made by the same director (Tom Gries) and also made in the same year.

Goofs:

Continuity: During Colton's helicopter training scene, it was in a Bell 47 but, several clips were from the Gazelle (one used for the breakout).

Quotes:

Myrna:How does that joke go? Ah, the guy says, "so help me, I'll rape you." And the girl says, "so rape me, I'll help you."
Nick Colton:So?
Myrna:So... rape me, I'll help you.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The First Nudie Musical (1976)

A fun Charles Bronson movie!

This movie is just plain fun. It mixes a sense of humour with its action, not unlike television shows Simon and Simon and Magnum P.I.. And it's classy. I don't know why it hasn't found a wider audience. Check it out - but don't expect brutal violence.