Le Trou (1960)

Le Trou (1960)

aka The Hole

starring Michel Constantin, Jean Keraudy, Philippe Leroy, Raymond Meunier, Marc Michel

directed by Jaques Becker

131 minutes

in French with English subtitles

Gaspard (Marc Michel) is put in a cell in La Santé Prison with four other prisoners: Roland (Jean Keraudy), Manu (Philippe Leroy), Monseigneur (Raymond Meunier), and Geo (Michel Constantin). All of them, including Gaspard, are facing sentences of 10 or more years behind bars. The four are suspicious of Gaspard at first but eventually share with him their plans to break out of La Santé.

Thoughts

I saw this movie as part of the 2024 edition of the Noir City DC film festival. Eddie Muller introduced this movie. It was the back half of a double feature. The front half of the double feature was Black Tuesday (1954). Prison break was the common theme in this double feature.

The screenplay and novel this movie was based on were written by José Giovanni who served time in prison. The story is based on an actual escape attempt from La Santé in 1947. Jean Keraudy, who played Roland in the film, was one of the prisoners who attempted to escape from La Santé in 1947.

This is the final film directed by Jacques Becker who died about a month before it was released in March 1960. The only other one of his films that I have seen is Touchez pas au grisbi (1954).

I don't know how much more I can say about the story without giving too much away. The title, at least in one sense, refers to the hole that they make in the floor of their cell which leads down to the basement of the prison. There are lots of little episodes that occur as the prisoners work to dig their way out. 

This is not a short film but it has lots of moments that are filled with tension. There are lots of close calls. I was sucked in fairly quickly to the world of these five men. Most of the story takes place in their cell or beneath the prison.

There are extended moments that pass with little to no dialogue. It reminded me very much of Rififi (1955) in those moments.

There is a twist of sorts near the end of the movie. There was a little bit of foreshadowing but not a lot. I considered the possibility that turned out to be reality but I wasn't certain enough to consider it to be a sure thing. Not everything is revealed in the end. There are still questions in my mind about where some things stood at the beginning and end of the movie and how to interpret certain moments.

I felt a little let down when the ending arrived but only because I was left with my mouth hanging open. I couldn't believe, even though I had considered the possibility, how it all ended. I guess in part it is because everything had moved at such a slow deliberate pace up to that point.

This is a must see for fans of French cinema or film noir.