starring Burt Lancaster, Hume Cronyn, Charles Bickford
directed by Jules Dassin
Collins (Burt Lancaster) is the leader of the 6 men imprisoned together in one of the cell blocks of Westgate Prison. One of them was recently killed. Collins has just been released from solitary confinement and allowed to return to the cell block where he usually resides. He was put in solitary after a knife was found among his possessions. It was planted by Wilson, another prisoner, and one of Collins first orders of business is to reward Wilson for his betrayal.
Gallagher (Charles Bickford) runs the prison newspaper. He has no interest in trying to escape until he learns that all opportunities for parole have been suspended indefinitely.
Captain Munsey (Hume Cronyn) uses whatever means necessary to keep the men in the prison in line. He does not have the support of Barnes, the warden, or Dr. Walters, the prison doctor, but the outside authorities reward him and place a lot of pressure on Barnes.
The movie culminates with a daring escape attempt in which the prisoners try to fight their way out.
Thoughts
This is the fourth of four movies from this year’s Noir City DC Film Festival at the AFI that I watched. The theme of the 2022 festival is “They Tried to Warn Us”.
Richard Brooks, who also wrote the book upon which Crossfire was based and the first draft of the screenplay for Storm Warning, wrote the screenplay for Brute Force.
This was an excellent movie. It got me early on and kept my attention. There was tension throughout. The escape attempt at the end of the movie was intense. I didn't expect it to be quite so powerful and well choreographed a scene.
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