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Escape from Alcatraz

  • 1979
  • PG
  • 1h 52m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
156K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
504
1,000
Clint Eastwood in Escape from Alcatraz (1979)
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99+ Photos
Prison DramaBiographyCrimeDramaThriller

Alcatraz is the most secure prison of its time. It is believed that no one can ever escape from it, until three daring men make a possibly successful attempt at escaping from one of the most... Read allAlcatraz is the most secure prison of its time. It is believed that no one can ever escape from it, until three daring men make a possibly successful attempt at escaping from one of the most infamous prisons in the world.Alcatraz is the most secure prison of its time. It is believed that no one can ever escape from it, until three daring men make a possibly successful attempt at escaping from one of the most infamous prisons in the world.

  • Director
    • Don Siegel
  • Writers
    • J. Campbell Bruce
    • Richard Tuggle
  • Stars
    • Clint Eastwood
    • Patrick McGoohan
    • Roberts Blossom
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.5/10
    156K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    504
    1,000
    • Director
      • Don Siegel
    • Writers
      • J. Campbell Bruce
      • Richard Tuggle
    • Stars
      • Clint Eastwood
      • Patrick McGoohan
      • Roberts Blossom
    • 247User reviews
    • 93Critic reviews
    • 76Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:00
    Official Trailer

    Photos137

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    Top cast57

    Edit
    Clint Eastwood
    Clint Eastwood
    • Frank Morris
    Patrick McGoohan
    Patrick McGoohan
    • Warden Arthur Dollison
    Roberts Blossom
    Roberts Blossom
    • Chester 'Doc' Dalton
    Jack Thibeau
    Jack Thibeau
    • Clarence Anglin
    Fred Ward
    Fred Ward
    • John Anglin
    Paul Benjamin
    Paul Benjamin
    • English
    Larry Hankin
    Larry Hankin
    • Charley Butts
    Bruce M. Fischer
    Bruce M. Fischer
    • Wolf
    Frank Ronzio
    Frank Ronzio
    • Litmus
    Fred Stuthman
    Fred Stuthman
    • Johnson
    David Cryer
    • Wagner
    Madison Arnold
    Madison Arnold
    • Zimmerman
    Blair Burrows
    • Fight Guard
    Bob Balhatchet
    • Medical Technical Assistant
    Matthew Locricchio
    • Exam Guard
    • (as Matthew J. Locricchio)
    Don Michaelian
    • Beck
    Ray K. Goman
    Ray K. Goman
    • Cellblock Captain
    Jason Ronard
    Jason Ronard
    • Bobs
    • Director
      • Don Siegel
    • Writers
      • J. Campbell Bruce
      • Richard Tuggle
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews247

    7.5156.2K
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    Featured reviews

    8Coventry

    Frank Morris doesn't seek redemption; - only an exit...

    I'm undoubtedly going to get virtually molested for making statements like these, but whatever... It's my honest and humble opinion that, because of "Escape from Alcatraz" (and perhaps 2 or 3 other solid but underrated prison dramas), a film like "The Shawshank Redemption" does not deserve to be labeled as one of the greatest - or even THE greatest, according to this wonderful website - movie of all time. Don't crucify me just yet. I do concur "Shawshank" is a great film, but so many of the original and brilliant aspects that its fans praise and worship so much already featured here first, in this genius fifth (and final) collaboration between director Don Siegel and anti-hero Clint Eastwood. I won't go as far to claim the script/novel of "Shawshank Redemption" is a rip-off (although it wouldn't be the first time Stephen King steals from other sources) but it's definitely a big influence and inspiration.

    The most astounding trick Siegel and Eastwood pull, is serving us a slow-paced and atmospheric drama rather than an exhilarating action flick, and yet it doesn't at all feel like a swindle. "Escape from Alcatraz" is a stoic and slow brooding, yet compelling depiction of prison life, its strict routines and its lack of privileges. The titular escape, which largely exists of tunneling out with a pair of nail clippers (!), is often even a mere footnote, while the real essence revolves around the solidarity between inmates and their collective fist against the corrupt prison authorities.

    Needless to say, Eastwood is at his best portraying a cool, distant, arrogant and enigmatic Frank Morris. From the moment he arrives at Alcatraz, it's more than obvious that his sole mission will be to escape, even though the megalomaniacal head warden fanatically makes it clear The Rock is impossible to escape from. The latter is a strong role for Patrick McGoohan, by the way. Great, great film. No nonsense, no unnecessary dialogs or redundant sub plots, just pure craftmanship!
    8lost-in-limbo

    Escape impossible?

    Frank Morris was a bank robber who has escape many prisons in his time, but for his troubles his transported from Atlanta and shipped off to the rock they call Alcatraz. Where supposedly no one can escape. The maximum security prison life is jarringly miserable and hopeless. The prison warden intends to keep it that way. Morris makes some friends, but also an enemy which wants to see him dead, after turning down his proposal with brute force. Through a small glimpse of hope and luck. Morris actually discovers a possible way of escape and carefully plans it out with the aid of a couple of inmates.

    You can always count on the influential pairing of Clint Eastwood and Don Siegel. No matter what. On their filth and final partnership they come up with another genuine winner in the shape of the grippingly harrowing and sedated prison yarn shaped off J. Campbell Bruce's novel (and the supposed true story) of the only three men to break out of Alcatraz. It's hard not marvel at Siegel's sturdily compact craftsmanship in depicting the dour prison life with moody realism and how the story eventually folds out into a tautly drawn up break out attempt. The build up doesn't sway off course, but sticks to its simple narrative and characteristics with effective results. There's nothing explosive and downright exciting, but there's spirit lurking under the cold looking domain that eventually comes through. Like quoted in the film the rock would either break you or inspire you to fight on. The smartly layered plot works this into the characters very successfully and despite the predictability, it stays admirably honest without the need of sensationalising the facts and ambiguous conclusion. It starts of small and stays that way to the end, even with its dominantly large situation. The well-articulated script by Richard Tuggle is scanty with a lot of quiet patches. But it when comes to the forefront it manages to be cunning, but also touching. There's nothing overwrought here and gladly it doesn't succumb to that. Pacing is quite subdued, but this helps enhances the creaky mood and sophomoric nature of Alcatraz. Drama and action is kept to a minimal. Being shot on Alcatraz help chipped out such a towering and gritty presence the film held strongly and Bruce Surtees' fixedly expressive cinematography gets amongst the shadowy, dank and gloomy interior. Jerry Fielding's poignantly lingering and uncanny music score only adds more to the nauseating air whiffed up through the presentation. Clint Eastwood plays it quite steely and lean. He fit's the role smoothly as Morris. The support roles are reliably good, even if they are stuck with generic characters. Patrick McGoohan is sinisterly fine as the warden and Robert Blossom and Frank Ronzio are delightfully moving as two elder prison inmates. Paul Benjamin, Bruce M. Fischer, Fred Ward and Larry Hankin as the edgily weak-minded Charley Butts are memorably excellent in their parts.

    We've been down this path before, but this efficient offering plays it cards in a very understated manner and is to the point that I found it hard not to be fascinated by it's bitter depiction. Take the chance with this fortress.
    8paul2001sw-1

    Rock hard

    Alcatraz was America's toughest high-security prison, and has been much beloved by film-makers since it closed and became available as a set. Don Siegel's film is based on the true story of an attempted escape. Some aspects are clichéd (the psychopathic homosexual, for example) and by concentrating on the brutality of the regime the film gets you on the side of the escapees at the price of suggesting that prison break-outs are actually a good thing. But in general, this is a successful film that has aged well, with no sickly sentiment or overdone melodrama; by concentrating on the unadorned details of the story, the film allows each one to count. A strong, uncompromising movie, gripping even if you know the ending before it starts.
    9ticklemetorgo

    Drama not action make great movies!!

    And Escape from Alcatraz is a great movie. Based on a true story, it's one of those rare films that doesn't contain endless mindless fight scenes, overt homo eroticism, impossible action scenes, cartoon like special effects that film makers seem to be overly obsessed about these days. Somebody on the board asked if they should do a re-make of the film. NO!!!! Escape from Alcatraz is excellent as it is. The film is all suspense and great acting. The prison scenes realistic. I'd been to Alcatraz before (as a tourist) and a lot of it is in ruins but the film makes it look like the prison is still intact.

    I know some people may find the film dull, well that's fine. Go elsewhere and watch your cartoon action films. I'll stick with cool films like Escape from Alcatraz.
    7blanche-2

    true story of the great escape from Alcatraz

    Escape from Alcatraz is a 1979 film starring Clint Eastwood, Patrick McGooghan, Roberts Blossom, and Paul Benjamin.

    Eastwood is Frank Morris, who, with the two Anglin brothers (their names were changed for the film) contrived the most elaborate scheme ever to escape "The Rock."

    Their bodies were never found, and a photo surfaced some years later of the brothers in Brazil. The escape, plus Alcatraz's bad reputation, helped it close less than a year later.

    The movie gives a good idea of the horrors of prison life, and particularly the horrors of Alcatraz. Frankly, I don't think the escapees cared if they died. I'm sure anything was better than being in Alcatraz.

    Escape from Alcatraz is old-fashioned in that it has the art of the buildup, something lost in today's scripts. Today you must get to the point of your story in the first ten minutes. A film, for instance, like San Francisco where the earthquake happens toward the end would be a no-no.

    So we see the preparations, and they're impressive - papier mache heads with hair stolen from the barber shop to fool the guards into thinking they were asleep, digging out a grill at the back of the cell and putting a false grill up to fool the guards; welding a digging tool together with silver from a dime; the making of a raft; playing music while digging to hide the noise (though this really isn't shown). It was painstaking.

    Patrick McGoohan plays the warden, who, like all film prison wardens, is a horror show. When he sees a portrait of himself in a cell, he takes away the painting privileges of one of the inmates, Doc. When he finds out two inmates are talking cell to cell, he demands that they be separated.

    Actually, at the time of the escape, the warden was Olin Blackwell, considered the most lenient warden Alcatraz had ever had. And by then, inmates were performing music (shown in the film), and had weekend movies (also shown).

    Clint Eastwood, heavier than we've seen him in years, does an excellent job as Frank Morris, low-key but lethal. There isn't a tremendous amount of dialogue, but with his great presence and Frank's quiet leadership, we really don't need it.

    Recommended for a gritty look at life on Alcatraz, and the fascinating escape.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Alcatraz was one of the few prisons in America at the time to have hot water for showers. This wasn't a compassionate decision, but was intended to keep the prisoners from becoming too used to cold water in case they did get out of the prison and try to swim off the island.
    • Goofs
      When Morris meets the warden on his arrival, the warden states that no newspapers, or magazines carrying news, are issued to the prisoners. However, Morris' library duties later include delivering issues of The Saturday Evening Post and Ebony, publications containing news items in each issue.
    • Quotes

      Frank Morris: There's always the possibility that some asshole will be offended. Isn't there?

    • Crazy credits
      Opening credits prologue: JANUARY 18, 1960 SAN FRANCISCO
    • Connections
      Featured in Sneak Previews: Rocky II/The In-Laws/Lost and Found/Escape from Alcatraz/The Main Event (1979)
    • Soundtracks
      D Block Blues
      by Gilbert Thomas Jr.

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    FAQ19

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 22, 1979 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Alcatraz. Fuga imposible
    • Filming locations
      • Alcatraz Prison, Alcatraz Island, San Francisco Bay, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Paramount Pictures
      • The Malpaso Company
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $8,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $43,000,000
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $5,306,354
      • Jun 24, 1979
    • Gross worldwide
      • $43,005,351
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 52 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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