User Reviews

In the 29 years of Alcatraz's existence, and despite the strict measures, 39 captives tried to escape from America's premier maximum-security prison during its existence... Thirty six of whom failed... This script is about the other three, of whom nothing is known... They may have drowned in San Francisco Bay, or they may have got away...

Morris (Clint Eastwood) was a loner, a rebel against society, the perfect hero that Siegel loves... Lee Marvin in 'The Killers', Steve McQueen in 'Hell is for Heroes', and Richard Widmark in 'Madigan' were all similar types in films which he had directed..

In 'Escape From Alcatraz,' Eastwood gives his best screen acting to date... It is a charismatic performance that is so idiosyncratic, persuasive, and powerful... Eastwood, gave Morris the rough, intelligent aspect that is immediately palpable...

The first few minutes of the film consist of Morris being brought by boat to Alcatraz, inspected by a doctor and thrown into a cell... Throughout this, Eastwood does not speak... But already the audience feels it... They know the character... He has been through this before... He tries to control his mind... He builds a barrier between himself and his surroundings... He holds back his fear but he's not so foolish as to appear brave... Behind his impassivity, his mind is calculating... He is studying everyone... Everyone knows, prison guards and fellow prisoners alike, that this is not a man to be intimidated with easily...

But Siegel wasn't making a film about penal cruelty or miscarriage of justice or anything like that... He was presenting a meditative study of the inflexibility of human spirit, with a star strong enough in himself to join one sequence to the next... Both Siegel and Eastwood are known for violence, but there's relatively little of it this time...

This is not to say that Siegel has no interest in character... Stereotype characters, such as Doc and Litmus, make the film more entertaining... A further example is the inevitable homosexual Wolf (Bruce M. Fisher), who points out that Morris is a potential victim but realizes he has met his match when he approaches him in the showers one morning and gets three unexpected blows in the groin and a bar of soap in the mouth for his harassment... Another familiar type of character is English (Paul Benjamin), the leader of the Black mafia, who sits in the yard far away from the white inmates... English proves to be a nice guy..

But the biggest stereotype of them all is the cold warden, although Patrick McGoohan tries as hard as he can to provide Morris with some individual personality... Apart from the flower-crushing and constant attention to his nails, he is permitted by the scriptwriter merely to recite phrases that might have come from the prison handbook: 'No one has ever escaped from Alcatraz alive. Alcatraz was built to keep all the rotten eggs in one basket. I was specially chosen to make sure the stink from that basket doesn't escape.'

But two elements in the film are absolutely real: one is the central character, which will be considered in a moment, and the other is 'The Rock' itself...

Siegel's overwhelming achievement is to send the audience to infamous prison for two hours... The claustrophobia, the implicit suppression of any joy, the barbarity of being caged in isolation cells, all these suffocating atrocities come across with such reality that one experiences a total sense of relief when the camera moves into the recreation yard for the clear bright light of every early morning... Siegel's technique in this respect is unique...

Siegel's film style seems almost a cinematic interpretation of Eastwood screen persona: lean, clean, and harsh... Here is one example: When the incorrigible psychopath is out to finish Eastwood, his one chance is in the exercise yard... When he enters the yard, he is in need for a weapon... He has none! He slowly advances into the yard toward his victim... The camera goes down to the man's right hand as he walks... After a moment, another man puts a knife in that hand... The camera stays on the hand as he keeps moving... After another moment, another hand reaches in and grabs the con's arm.... The whole brief sequence is loaded with surprise and suspense... It is in two words: pure cinema...

Siegel's movie follows the known facts of the escape constantly, permitting itself only one act of poetic license at the very end... Throughout the film, Siegel uses a yellow chrysanthemum as a symbol of 'heart', to indicate that although the brutal system may have removed everything from the inmates save the questionable privilege of remaining alive, in some men at least their spirit survives...

'Doc', an elderly inmate who has spent twenty years there but who is permitted to paint and cultivate chrysanthemums, introduces the concept...

Some people complain that this movie is "boring." It's true it is very quiet and low-key, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. It has a distinct realistic feel to it, and it manages to be extremely suspenseful without using over-the-top action or an overblown soundtrack. There were several moments that actually had me on the edge of my seat.

Fans of Eastwood and McGoohan, who both give fantastic performances, should love this. Fans of prison movies should love this. Fans of suspense movies in general should love this. It is a top-notch movie with good performances all around, and I'd highly recommend it.

10/10 stars. Pure, solid entertainment.

It's a testament to the compelling nature of the story that this film can run an hour and 52 minutes and not feel nearly that long. This is interesting and involving every step of the way, with producer & director Don Siegel treating the material in the most matter of fact way possible. There's no melodrama here, and no filler. The performances are all low key, natural, and convincing.

Clint Eastwood, in his fifth and final pairing with Siegel, is well cast as bank robber Frank Morris, who's sent to the notorious Alcatraz island prison after having busted out of other prisons. He takes his time adjusting to his new surroundings, and makes acquaintances such as Doc (Roberts Blossom) and English (Paul Benjamin), meeting up with old friends the Anglin brothers (Jack Thibeau, Fred Ward) and defending himself from trouble making bruiser Wolf (Bruce M. Fischer). He soon realizes that he can dig his way through the brittle wall of his cell and decides that he'll take his chances and try to escape.

Based on the true story of the 1962 breakout from the supposedly foolproof prison, this is simply good solid storytelling from Siegel. To make it feel more real, the use of a music score is sparing, and Jerry Fieldings' score is pretty subtle anyway. This is one film that truly holds your attention, with one riveting sequence after another. And the cast plays it very well. Patrick McGoohan is perfectly icy as the warden who does his best to break the spirit of his inmates, and who clearly relishes exercising his power. Blossom is so good as easygoing convict Doc that you miss him when he's written out of the picture. Benjamin has a quietly powerful presence impressive enough to match Clints'. Thibeau and Ward are engaging as is comedic actor Larry Hankin in one of his rare straight parts as hard luck inmate Charley Butts.

Quite atmospheric throughout, with a wonderfully suspenseful climactic breakout, the film ends on a memorably ambiguous note. Did in fact Frank and the Anglins make it, or perish in their escape attempt? The truth of the matter is that they were never heard from again, and it's up to us to come up with the conclusion.

A superb effort overall.

10 out of 10.

Star Clint Eastwood and director Don Siegel made some excellent films together in the '70s. Their final collaboration came in 1979 with Escape From Alcatraz, a very authentic-looking prison drama based on the true story of the only successful escape from the notorious island-prison off San Francisco. In reality, no-one can be sure that Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers DID actually get away.... there is a very real possibility that they drowned or suffered hypothermia while trying to swim to safety. But the bodies of Morris and his cronies were never recovered, so neither can anyone categorically state that they perished. As a result of this legendary escape, Alcatraz lost its reputation as an inescapable penitentiary and was closed down just over a year later.

Convicted bank robber Frank Morris (Clint Eastwood) is moved to Alcatraz after repeatedly attempting to escape from his previous jail. Here he finds himself at the mercy of a ruthless and power-hungry warden (Patrick McGoohan) whose attitude toward the prisoners is one of utter contempt. Frank also finds his new fellow inmates to be alternately hostile or hopeless. While some inmates spend their time bullying and intimidating, others wallow in despair as endless months pass them by. Among the desperate ones, Frank meets "Doc" Dalton (Roberts Blossom), a convict with a talent for painting who chops off his own fingers when the warden refuses to let him paint. Also, Frank meets the Anglin brothers - Clarence (Jack Thibeau) and John (Fred Ward) - another pair with a reputation for attempting to escape from the jails they have been in. Frank and the Anglins put into action an audacious new escape plan. Using stolen spoons they dig their way to a ventilation shaft; using mirrors they watch the corridors outside their cells for approaching guards; using makeshift mortar they hide their digging work; and using papier-mache they make lifelike heads which they place on their pillows to make it look like they are sleeping peacefully.

Escape From Alcatraz is a film of great tension and gritty authenticity. Although Morris and the Anglins are bad men doing time for their bad crimes, we are made to root for them because the warden - indeed the whole "system" - is shown to be so cruel and unforgiving. Eastwood is physically commanding in his taciturn role, while McGoohan gives a chilling performance as the warden, and Blossom elicits great sympathy as the prisoner who harbours no desire to cause trouble but is devastated when banned from doing his beloved paintings. The whole prison atmosphere - with its tedium, fear, isolation and desperation - is evoked very realistically. The escape itself is shown in a sequence of 30 minutes or so at the end of the film. It is a mark of how well made Escape From Alcatraz is that this final 30 minute stretch takes place in near-darkness and is almost wordless, yet remains completely gripping.

Alcatraz with its boast then no one ever escaped from it forms the basis of the true story of the men who did. Even though the ending is not satisfying, we have a true gritty film with Clint Eastwood leading a plan with others to get away.

Naturally, we have the hard-nosed warden played with precision by Patrick McGoohan. His insensitivity and cruelty alone shall drive you to root for the potential escapees.

How they plan their get-away is a story within itself even as the warden becomes increasingly suspicious. They just jump the gun and while their fate is unknown until this very day, we may actually applaud their efforts.

Alcatraz prison, located in San Francisco Bay, was considered a fortress that made escaping impossible. As with any rule, where logic tells us there is no way of breaking, there are those daring minds that will do everything to break it, as it's the case of Alcatraz. The inmates we are introduced to, in this gripping prison drama where the security was airtight and prisoners confined to spend time there had no chance, there will always be a Frank Morris, who had experience fleeing other facilities. Morris will try everything in his power to prove he can beat the system.

The action takes place inside this maximum security jail. Frank Morris, who attracts unduly interest from another inmate who had plans for him, proves to be tougher than his outward appearance revealed. One thing is certain, he is no fool. He befriends a black prisoner that will turn to be someone that will save his life. His meeting with the Anglin brothers was a deciding factor in the way Frank planned and executed his amazing feat.

Director Don Siegel was an influential man in the American cinema. His long association with Clint Eastwood, who stars in this picture, produced a string of actions films unequaled by any other team in Hollywood's history. Mr. Eastwood learned a lot from Siegel when his career as a director took off. This film was one of the crowning achievements of his long, and productive life. Working with his favorite cameraman, Bruce Sortees, the director places the action in the former prison that the cinematographer captures in great detail. There are two narratives, the first one, has to do with prison life. The second is planning and escaping, a difficult task at best, because the waters around that area were treacherous for anyone that dared to swim to freedom.

The laconic Frank Morris, as played by Clint Eastwood, was one of his best creations. Patrick McGoohan is seen as the cruel warden who rules over all these desperate criminals. Fred Ward and Jack Thibeau are seen as the Anglin brothers. A great ensemble cast of character actors do excellent work for Mr. Siegel. In the background, unknown at the time, Danny Glover, can be seen.

Director Don Siegel and actor Clint Eastwood always do classy work together, and "Escape From Alcatraz" is no different.

The film simply involves Clint Eastwood being locked away in Alcatraz prison and then planning and enacting an escape, but the end result is nevertheless one of the best prison escape movies precisely because Siegel's stripped down, no nonsense, ruggedly masculine directorial style perfectly meshes with Clint's stripped down, no nonsense, ruggedly masculine acting style. It's a film in which Siegel's camera simply watches, with minimum fuss, as Clint digs through a wall and escapes a top security prison, with minimum fuss.

With the death of Peckinpah and Siegel, no one makes these manly movies today, directors now all pampered and privileged. When Siegel made a movie, you could feel the grime, sweat and testosterone.

In terms of flaws, the film rather sneakily neglects to tell us why Clint and his associates are in prison, and goes to great lengths to portray the prison warden as a villain, the end result being that we're essentially conned into wishing for the escape of bad people.

Of course most prison movies are largely existential tales. Like Paul Newman and Steve McQueen in their respective prison movies, Clint's less a criminal than an everyman who embodies our yearning for freedom, the film appealing to our desires for escape, transgression and rebellion. Thankfully, Siegel doesn't hype up these existential aspects, the director underplaying or ignoring them entirely in favour for a more dry, docudrama approach. If Clint signed up to the film in order to take his internalized, stoic acting style to new heights, then Siegel was drawn to a script filled with methodical planning. More than most, directors love when a good plan comes together.

8/10 – The film isn't as good as Siegel and Clint's best collaboration, "The Beguiled", but it's still excellent. Clint's the coolest actor since Bogart, and while this is a very simple tale, its procedural like direction, detachment and simple plot mesh perfectly with Clint's quiet scenery chewing, impressive scowling and laconic mannerisms. The film's poster was based on the famous "A Clockwork Orange" poster.

Worth one viewing.

Shrewd bank robber Frank Morris (superbly played with commendable restraint by Clint Eastwood) gets sent to serve time in the legendary maximum security prison Alcatraz. Run with an iron fist by a ruthless and sadistic warden (a marvelously wicked portrayal by Patrick McGoohan), Morris plots to escape from the penitentiary that's supposed to be impossible to break out of.

Director Don Siegel astutely nails the drab monotony, stark brutality, and utter hopelessness of life behind bars in a compelling, straightforward, and refreshingly unsentimental manner. Richard Tuggle's tight script wisely avoids any melodramatic subplots or heavy-handed social commentary. While Eastwood clearly dominates the film with his trademark quietly commanding authority, he nonetheless receives terrific support from Roberts Blossom as easygoing and artistic old felon Doc, Fred Ward as the cocky John Anglin, Jack Thibeau as John's hotheaded brother Clarence, Richard Benjamin as the antagonistic English, Larry Hankin as the meek Charley Butts, Frank Ronzio as the amiable Litmus, and Bruce M. Fischer as monstrous predator Wolf. The sharp, yet no-frills cinematography by Bruce Surtees further adds to the overall gritty realism. Jerry Fielding's spare moody score rates as another significant asset. The climactic escape is expertly staged with Siegel's customary clockwork precision for supreme tension and excitement. Excellent.

'Escape from Alcatraz (1979)' is such a delicate, understated film that it could only be the work of a veteran. The film was Don Siegel's final collaboration with Clint Eastwood, whom he had passionately mentored since directing him in 'Coogan's Bluff (1968).' Here, Siegel recognises that adapting a true story requires some dramatic restraint, but nor does he feel tied to factual details; the film is less concerned with narrative than in evoking the mood of prison life. Indeed, the "escape" in the title doesn't take centre-stage until the film's final act, and even then Siegel resists the urge to transform it into an epic Hitchcockian set-piece (though there's certainly nothing wrong with them). The escape instead plays more closely to the wordless heist sequence in Dassin's 'Rififi (1955),' heart-stopping because it places the viewer on the scene and at the mercy of the characters' mistakes. Every clank of metal or heavy footfall inspires an instinctive flinch, despite the foreknowledge of events signalled in the film's title.

Eastwood, though rarely celebrated for his acting subtlety, always excelled at giving internalised masculine portrayals, particularly when playing laconic Western heroes like The Man With No Name. In 'Escape from Alcatraz,' as in Leone's Westerns, his character enters without much in the way of a back-story: no family, and only a vague history of previous escape attempts. This ghost-like ambiguity allows the audience to sympathise with Frank Morris' plight. Furthermore, Morris is far more intelligent than he lets on, speaking only when practical – watch closely and you'll notice that, even from his opening moments at Alcatraz, he spends most of his time unobtrusively scouring his environment for a means of escape. Only once – following Doc's (Roberts Blossom) mental breakdown at the hands of the Warden's vanity – does Morris really say what he's thinking, and he is lucky to get away with the outburst. Patrick McGoohan also delivers a similarly controlled performance. Without painting the Warden as villainous, he manages to portray the man as lonely, insecure and ultimately impotent.

'Escape from Alcatraz' borrows plenty from the prison films of previous years – among them Frankenheimer's 'Birdman of Alcatraz (1962)' and Schaffner's 'Papillon (1973)' {Siegel himself had preceded these with his own 'Riot in Cell Block 11 (1954),' which I haven't seen}. However, the film also proved influential in its own right, and Darabont's 'The Shawshank Redemption (1994)' simply could not have existed without it. Narrative cinema typically requires a reassuringly tidy conclusion, and so there's potential difficulty in telling a true story whose ending remains unknown. Siegel handles this issue with poise, concocting a curious blend of hope and uncertainty that provides just enough closure without overreaching his artistic license: A chrysanthemum flower, a symbol of human hope, flits delicately on the island shore; Jerry Fielding's score whirs eerily on the soundtrack, the credits rolling over the grotesque image of Morris' paper-mache mask – a shell of the man who once slept in that bed. Just as he entered the film as a ghost, so too does Frank Morris depart it.

Before their falling out, director Don Siegel and actor Clint Eastwood made some great films together, beginning with Coogan's Bluff in 1968 and ending with arguably their finest work, Escape from Alcatraz in 1979. Like Eastwood's character Frank Morris, Escape from Alcatraz is lean and no-nonsense, set completely within the walls of the infamous island prison. It's also a masterpiece of visual storytelling, with Siegel displaying a skill for capturing the routine of life in Alcatraz, from the small individual cells to the mundane work cycles, all combining to create an overall sense of hopelessness for those destined to rot away on the Rock. Morris has been placed there because he has escaped from every other prison he's been sent to, and nobody escapes from Alcatraz. He is quickly informed by a fellow inmate that should you even manage to get out of your cell, it's a mile away from land and the cold will kill you before the next prisoner count.

This revelation would crush the souls of most men, but Morris simply sees it as another challenge to overcome and quickly starts to plan a break-out. It will take time however, so he must endure the harshness of prison life in the meantime. Alcatraz is a place of punishment, not rehabilitation, and the quietly sadistic warden, played by Patrick McGoohan, appears to be proud of the prison's reputation of making good prisoners, not citizens. We are gradually introduced to the other inmates: There's the eccentric Litmus (Frank Ronzio), who convinces a new arrival that he is actually Al Capone, artist and amateur botanist 'Doc' Dalton (Roberts Blossom), black librarian English (Paul Benjamin), and eventually Morris' old acquaintances and brothers Clarence (Jack Thibeau) and John Anglin (Fred Ward). Morris quickly makes an enemy in Wolf (Bruce M. Fischer), when he clobbers the would-be rapist for making advances in the shower room. With Wolf waiting impatiently in solitary for revenge and the threat of a cell move looming, Morris steps up his efforts, finding hope in the crumbling concrete around the grille in his cell.

The escape itself is a magnificent, meticulously researched sequence that arrives at the climax, but before that we are ushered into the harsh realities of prison life, and what it takes to survive and maintain your sanity in such brutal surroundings. Siegel skilfully builds dramatic tension in a suffocating, cramped confinement. Alcatraz was no ordinary prison. It was an intricate machine designed to crush the spirits of those serving time, where a luxury could be taken away in an instant for the pettiest of reasons, leaving you with nothing but walls and your thoughts. Siegel doesn't necessarily side with the prisoners - with one exception, they all certainly deserve to be locked up - but he is keen to point out that such mental abuse doesn't do anybody, especially society, any good. This sense of injustice is certainly what seems to be driving Morris, and you'll be willing him on when the date is finally set. The escape is actually relatively straight-forward, but Siegel makes it nail-biting nonetheless. This also fits in with the whole docudrama feel, sticking closely to how it actually went down back in 1962. The ending eerily lets you ponder their fate for yourselves. They were never seen again, nor were their bodies discovered.