Best movie of this year hands down!

Simply A Masterpiece

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

I decided to watch as many Dassin movies as possible. This was #2 on my list.I am not sure why this is classified as a film-noir but certainly it used a similar style of cinematography. As most other reviewers wrote, it is excellent, exciting, and entertaining.One small quibble that bugged me a lot: the two Italians spoke (perfect) English. Gimme a break.The movie? Highly recommended. The director? Ditto.

This film has something to say about the human condition as well as being a gripping and realistic drama. The cast is perfection with an outstanding performance from Hume Cronyn who plays against his usual mild-mannered type as the insidiously sadistic captain of the guard. The flashback vignettes involving the women in some of the convicts'lives are short but telling. The smooth conman had been conned, the small and insignificant con, played by the ubiquitous Whit Bissel, had embezzled in order to give his beautiful wife a mink coat and the physically imposing con, played by Lancaster had fallen in love with a gentle, wheelchair bound girl. It is not an attempt to make the cons "good guys" but it does make them human. The climactic breakout scene is a masterpiece - a blend of the literal and the metaphorical.

I am incredulous how no one has noted the communistic propaganda in this piece. Most notably it's right there in plain sight. The cell number. R17. Revolution 1917; Russian revolution 1917. The director was a noted Jewish communist and was blacklisted because of it. I don't want to dwell too much on that as this is an ideology I despise. However the movie has a kinetic energy that modern movies find hard to surpass. Superb performances and great editing. This could just as well be an allegory for the bravery of any action against a brutal totalitarian movement.

It's the overcrowded tough Westgate Penitentiary. Capt. Munsey (Hume Cronyn) is the hard-nosed guard who actually runs the prison. Joe Collins (Burt Lancaster) refuses to bend to his will. He's let out of solitary after getting set up by Munsey. Joe's wife Ruth is unwilling to get an operation for cancer without Joe being there. He has a plan to escape.The prison movie has been done all the time. This is an early brutal vision of incarceration. The flashbacks of various prisoners are unnecessary and distracting. In fact, most of the flashbacks can be eliminated. Prison is a tough place where there is little hope. Lancaster and Cronyn serve as good foils and it has an action packed battle in the end.