Nells Reviews and Observations: prison

Escape From Alcatraz (1979)

This film doesn’t really require a synopsis, since the story of the actual “escape from Alcatraz” prison is well known, though the actual facts pertaining to the fate of the three escapees will probably never be known.

If you do NOT know the story behind the escape, basically all you need to know is three inmates chipped away at the old, crumbling cement around the air vents in their cells and got into the maintenance areas above the cell block. They then made papier-mâché heads, complete with hair from the barber shop, to put in their beds at night, when they were outside their cells working on supplies like rubber rafts and life rackets made from rain coats stolen from the prison. The big night came and the three men left their cells through the cell vents, went up air vents to the roof of the cell block, then down to the rocky shore and into San Francisco Bay. They were never seen again, dead or alive, (officially, anyway) and the prison was closed within the year.

The film has four men in on the escape, with one (Butts) lagging behind the others with his chipping and so on. He ends up with cold feet the night of the escape, then when he finally leaves his cell, he can’t get up to the roof vent by himself. This character appears to be based on Allen West.

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I have seen Alcatraz MANY times through the years. I recently watched it yet again, with slightly older eyes, and never realized how little dialogue it has. Which helps explain why I always liked it, despite not being a big Eastwood fan. I AM a fan of more subtle films, where little needs to be done to express things like emotion or reactions. This film barely even has a sound track! What it does have almost reminds me of the quieter scenes of “2001 Space Odyssey”.

There are some interesting shots, but the movie usually doesn’t dwell too long on one shot or scene, unless it contains a needed plot-point or information. Time goes by for the inmates, but viewers may not catch that fact.

I don’t like ultra-violent movies, and when I was a kid was scared of the finger-chopping scene. Now I realize the film is gritty without needing to be too violent, is anti-prison without being preachy, and deals with race but doesn't pander. It also doesn’t feel like the facts have been tossed out the window, like with “Bird Man of Alcatraz”, where supposedly the main character was no where near as pleasant as in the film.

Eastwood does a great job as Frank Morris. Quiet and brilliant, always thinking, yet perfectly able to take care of himself in a fight. His female fans will like the shots of him after arriving at the prison, and in the shower. I like the fact he did so many of his own stunts as well.

Larry Hankin as Butts is perfect as well, a bit dopy but likable. Though the Anglin Brothers seemed slightly miscast. Comments in IMDb state Fred Ward and Jack Thibeau were cast due to their physical abilities, which they did seem to have, especially during the escape. The Doc and Litmus characters are well cast, though I am still on the shelf about Paul Benjamin as English. The English character has plenty of "status", yet he doesn't act like a tough guy, so how exactly did he achieve such status? Through his number of years on “the rock”? He is also a quiet and seemingly smart inmate, in charge of the library. But is his “racism” toward whites real? Is Morris an exception of sorts?

Oh, and the character of Wolf is disturbing but nothing like we would see if the film were made today.

Other than English and Morris, the character with the most dialogue is the real bad guy, The Warden, played by Patrick McGoohan. He almost seems to not be wearing much makeup in this one. He is very plain, very subdued, yet very cold and business-like. He has a caged parakeet and a small fish aquarium in his office, which make him seem almost human until you think of those pets as more jailed inmates for him to control. He shows no feelings whatsoever for his inmates (though he does seem rather pleasant when he asks Morris about his accordion). One wonders if the wheels are always turning in his head, just like in Morris’s.

McGoohan did long, word-heavy scenes well (like when he meets Morris in his office) but also scenes which require little dialogue at all (like the ending). Though the warden shows very little emotion on his face, a tiny change of the eyes can tell a lot.

As a side note, I was wondering why McGoohan actually seemed short in this film. Usually he had to look down on his fellow actors, so I had to look up Clint Eastwood’s height. Eastwood is supposed to be about 6’ 4”, which explains things, as McGoohan was (by his own admission in a “Danger Man” episode) 6’ 2 ½”.

One also has to wonder if Eastwood got along with McGoohan, given the Irish-Englishman’s tendency to be difficult to work with due to his desire for perfection (and alcohol at this time).

IN CLOSING: If you don't need lots of useless violence and dialogue, even soundtrack music, this is a movie you may like. It almost feels like a “modern” silent film. Or at least minimalist. If you MUST have lots of yammering and explosions and padding, you may not enjoy it. But it looks good, has good acting, and as a plus is based on fact.