This must have seemed savagely brutal when it was first made. Even watching it now, I kept gasping. Whether it showed typical prison brutality of the day or the occasional deranged officer is beside the point. That kind of brutality should never happen. Great movie.
Brilliant movie and one of my favourite film noirs. The witty script acts as a great counterpoint to the relentless darkness of the story, and the film makes a strong commentary on the use of futility of brute force whether used as a means of imprisonment or escape.
Brute Force is a prison drama that opposes the will of two men. Burt Lancaster is a sympathetic convict who plans an escape for unselfish reasons, and Hume Cronyn is the manipulative and sadistic captain of the guard who means to stop him and get himself minted as new warden. Lancaster is of course equal to the task, but it's Cronyn who's the real revelation here, coming off as creepy and dangerous despite the fact that physically, he could have played Whit Bissell's part (a timid accountant who convicted of embezzlement). Though prison life is hard, and the convicts aren't above killing one another in there, the movie paints an unusually sympathetic portrait of the inmates. Almost everyone on the side of things has a backstory that excuses or softens their conviction (it's unfortunate that Lancaster's is so melodramatic and sappy), or else is a force for social good in the prison environment. Not that anyone but Cronyn (and the unreasonable Governor's office) is a villain, the other prison personnel don't have his harsh vision and make a case for more positive correctional methods. Ultimately, I don't think the movie pardons anyone for past crimes even if it glosses over them for the sake of the drama, so when it counts, it refuses to compromise.
This is really good. Munsey is a great antagonist and that warden must be one of the most spineless bastards ever put on celluloid. Burt is handsome and Doc is wise-- the violence hits hard and the human tragedy mounts up and up until the climax has you both thrilled and indignant. Great film. Liked it much better than Rififi.
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ClassicLady
This must have seemed savagely brutal when it was first made. Even watching it now, I kept gasping. Whether it showed typical prison brutality of the day or the occasional deranged officer is beside the point. That kind of brutality should never happen. Great movie.ChrisReynolds
Brilliant movie and one of my favourite film noirs. The witty script acts as a great counterpoint to the relentless darkness of the story, and the film makes a strong commentary on the use of futility of brute force whether used as a means of imprisonment or escape.Siskoid
Brute Force is a prison drama that opposes the will of two men. Burt Lancaster is a sympathetic convict who plans an escape for unselfish reasons, and Hume Cronyn is the manipulative and sadistic captain of the guard who means to stop him and get himself minted as new warden. Lancaster is of course equal to the task, but it's Cronyn who's the real revelation here, coming off as creepy and dangerous despite the fact that physically, he could have played Whit Bissell's part (a timid accountant who convicted of embezzlement). Though prison life is hard, and the convicts aren't above killing one another in there, the movie paints an unusually sympathetic portrait of the inmates. Almost everyone on the side of things has a backstory that excuses or softens their conviction (it's unfortunate that Lancaster's is so melodramatic and sappy), or else is a force for social good in the prison environment. Not that anyone but Cronyn (and the unreasonable Governor's office) is a villain, the other prison personnel don't have his harsh vision and make a case for more positive correctional methods. Ultimately, I don't think the movie pardons anyone for past crimes even if it glosses over them for the sake of the drama, so when it counts, it refuses to compromise.mojahedAFC
Those gates only open three times. When you come in, when you've served your time, or when you're deadMasterpiece Classic Movie!!
Yousef Mousa
Jules Dassin's best after RififiDuke of Omnium
One of the toughest and nastiest of the prison genre. This had to push the Production Code as far as it could go.ucuruju
This is really good. Munsey is a great antagonist and that warden must be one of the most spineless bastards ever put on celluloid. Burt is handsome and Doc is wise-- the violence hits hard and the human tragedy mounts up and up until the climax has you both thrilled and indignant. Great film. Liked it much better than Rififi.MrE2Me
About as subtle as a sledgehammer to the face, and surprisingly brutal for its time. Still entertaining, though.duchin6
just ok.gama_jr
Good movie, but definitely not a noir.Klondike Bongo
Features 'Calypso', the most infuriating human ever.Virpi
Not the best ones i have seen, but ok.