DramaThriller

Escape from Alcatraz

- No one has ever escaped from Alcatraz… and no one ever will!

San Francisco Bay, January 18, 1960. Frank Lee Morris is transferred to Alcatraz, a maximum security prison located on a rocky island. Although no one has ever managed to escape from there, Frank and other inmates begin to carefully prepare an escape plan.

Release Date : 1979-06-22

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Paramount PicturesMalpaso Productions

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Frank Morris

Original Name : Clint Eastwood

Gender : Male

Character Name : Warden

Original Name : Patrick McGoohan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Doc

Original Name : Roberts Blossom

Gender : Male

Character Name : Clarence Anglin

Original Name : Jack Thibeau

Gender : Male

Character Name : John Anglin

Original Name : Fred Ward

Gender : Male

Character Name : English

Original Name : Paul Benjamin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Charley Butts

Original Name : Larry Hankin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Wolf

Original Name : Bruce M. Fischer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Litmus

Original Name : Frank Ronzio

Gender : Male

Character Name : Johnson

Original Name : Fred Stuthman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Wagner

Original Name : David Cryer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Associate Warden

Original Name : Hank Brandt

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cellblock Captain

Original Name : Ray K. Goman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Fight Guard

Original Name : Blair Burrows

Gender : Male

Character Name : Zimmerman

Original Name : Madison Arnold

Gender : Male

Character Name : Weston

Original Name : Garry Goodrow

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stone

Original Name : Ron Vernan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cranston

Original Name : Ed Vasgersian

Gender : Male

Character Name : Exam Guard #1

Original Name : Matthew Locricchio

Gender : Male

Character Name : Medical Technical Assistant

Original Name : Bob Balhatchet

Gender : Male

Character Name : Exam Guard #2

Original Name : Stephen Bradley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lucy

Original Name : Regina Baff

Gender : Female

Character Name : Police Sgt.

Original Name : Joe Miksak

Gender : Male

Character Name : English's Daughter

Original Name : Candace Bowen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Beck

Original Name : Don Michaelian

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard

Original Name : Dan Leegant

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard

Original Name : John Garabedian

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bobs

Original Name : Jason Ronard

Gender : Male

Character Name : Helicopter Pilot

Original Name : Ross Reynolds

Gender : Male

Character Name : Visitors' Guard

Original Name : Al Dunlap

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard

Original Name : Denis Berkfeldt

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard

Original Name : Jim Haynie

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard

Original Name : Tony Dario

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard

Original Name : Fritz Manes

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard

Original Name : Dana Derfus

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard

Original Name : Don Cummins

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard

Original Name : Gordon Handforth

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard

Original Name : John Scanlon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard

Original Name : Don Watters

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard

Original Name : Joe Knowland

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard

Original Name : James Collier

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard

Original Name : R. J. Ganzert

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard

Original Name : Robert Hirschfeld

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard

Original Name : Lloyd Nelson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard

Original Name : George Orrison

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard

Original Name : Gary Warren

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard

Original Name : Joseph Whipp

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard

Original Name : Terry Wills

Gender : Male

Character Name : Inmate

Original Name : Dale Alvarez

Gender : Male

Character Name : Inmate

Original Name : Sheldon Feldner

Gender : Male

Character Name : Inmate

Original Name : Danny Glover

Gender : Male

Character Name : Inmate

Original Name : Carl Lumbly

Gender : Male

Character Name : Inmate

Original Name : Patrick Valentino

Gender : Male

Character Name : Inmate

Original Name : Gilbert Thomas Jr.

Gender : Male

Character Name : Inmate

Original Name : Eugene Jackson

Gender : Male

Reviews

r96sk

@r96sk

2022-01-21

Gotta feel for this due to the later emergence of 'The Shawshank Redemption' and even 'Prison Break', but 'Escape From Alcatraz' still merits its own props as a great film. I love a good prison escape flick, shown by my love for those two aforementioned productions which do improve on the formula; TSR - one of my favourite films, fwiw - particularly must've took a lot of inspiration from this, I noted a fair few similarities. With the cast, you have an excellent performance from Clint Eastwood. Patrick McGoohan fits his role nicely, while Paul Benjamin and Larry Hankin are the best of the rest. I would've liked more development for the characters of Fred Ward and Jack Thibeau, who felt a little tacked on. Elsewhere, Danny Glover makes his acting debut in a tiny, tiny role. I found the pacing to be very good, sure the story I guess is obvious in terms of its direction but I still got tense and edgy whilst watching the escape take place. The ambience of the film is a positive too, with the exception of one moment early on where there's an overly on the nose lightning strike as one of the characters mentions Alcatraz - nothing major, it's a nit-pick and it's my only one so that's a big plus. Interesting to note this was the final collaboration between Eastwood and director Don Siegel, take out 'Coogan's Bluff' and that was an extremely effective partnership - this 1979 release and 'Two Mules for Sister Sara' being my favourites.

JPV852

@JPV852

2022-11-08

Seen this one several times and still is a well done and straight forward, well shot, escape-thriller with fine performances all around. Nothing fancy and just enough character development to make you care. **4.0/5**

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2023-06-05

Clint Eastwood is at the top of his game in this thriller. He is bank robber Frank Morris, Incarcerated in one of America's most impregnable prisons, under the menacing gaze of warden Patrick McGoohan. He quickly concludes that he has little left to live for but escape. Together with twins Clarence and John Anglin (Fred Ward and Jack Thibeau) he puts together an intricate plan to escape their prison by using the utility tunnels to escape the complex then some makeshift inflatables to get across San Francisco bay. The facts of the story mean the ending is never in doubt - insofar as we actually know what the ending was/is! Now that rather detracts from any sense of jeopardy with the screenplay, but is one of the aspects that make Eastwood all the more compelling - his meticulous planning, ingenuity and sheer perspicacity is enthralling - ok, at times a little slow - to watch. He has to deal with the odd internal fracas, most notably from "Wolf" (Bruce Fisher) who would have some fun with him, if you get my drift... but none of that detracts him from his goal. Aside from this mission, Don Siegel offers us quite a detailed glimpse into life behind bars towards the end of this crumbling building's life; and we are exposed to the relentless tedium and despair of many which engenders some sympathy - however evil they may have been to be sent there in the first place. What Siegel doesn't really do, though, is use McGoohan to much effect. His usual less-is-more style of performance is certainly here, but all to infrequently to really build an sense of menace. Still, it's Eastwood's film and he is great...