CrimeDramaThriller

Brute Force

- Power Packed Picture!

Timeworn Joe Collins and his fellow inmates live under the heavy thumb of the sadistic, power-tripping guard Captain Munsey. Only Collins' dreams of escape keep him going, but how can he possibly bust out of Munsey's chains?

Release Date : 1947-07-16

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Mark Hellinger ProductionsUniversal Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Joe Collins

Original Name : Burt Lancaster

Gender : Male

Character Name : Capt. Munsey

Original Name : Hume Cronyn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gallagher

Original Name : Charles Bickford

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gina Ferrara

Original Name : Yvonne De Carlo

Gender : Female

Character Name : Ruth

Original Name : Ann Blyth

Gender : Female

Character Name : Cora Lister

Original Name : Ella Raines

Gender : Female

Character Name : Flossie

Original Name : Anita Colby

Gender : Female

Character Name : Louie Miller #7033

Original Name : Sam Levene

Gender : Male

Character Name : 'Freshman' Stack

Original Name : Jeff Corey

Gender : Male

Character Name : Spencer

Original Name : John Hoyt

Gender : Male

Character Name : Kid Coy

Original Name : Jack Overman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Warden A.J. Barnes

Original Name : Roman Bohnen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Calypso

Original Name : Sir Lancelot

Gender : Male

Character Name : Muggsy

Original Name : Vince Barnett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hodges (guard)

Original Name : Jay C. Flippen

Gender : Male

Character Name : McCollum

Original Name : Richard Gaines

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ferrara

Original Name : Frank Puglia

Gender : Male

Character Name : Crenshaw

Original Name : James Bell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Robert 'Soldier' Becker

Original Name : Howard Duff

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dr. Walters

Original Name : Art Smith

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tom Lister

Original Name : Whit Bissell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Wilson

Original Name : James O'Rear

Gender : Male

Character Name : Harry (uncredited)

Original Name : Paul Bryar

Gender : Male

Character Name : Italian Father Visiting Prison (uncredited)

Original Name : Gino Corrado

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard (uncredited)

Original Name : Al Ferguson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Convict (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Gordon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Roberts (uncredited)

Original Name : John Harmon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chef (uncredited)

Original Name : Herbert Heywood

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tom - Tower Guard (uncredited)

Original Name : Tom Steele

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jackson - Guard (uncredited)

Original Name : Ray Teal

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard in Machine Shop (uncredited)

Original Name : Dale Van Sickel

Gender : Male

Character Name : Convict (uncredited)

Original Name : Rudy Germane

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

Prison Noir! This is Westgate Penitentiary, the Warden is a weak man, the prison is practically run by the cruel and highly ambitious Captain Munsey. But the prisoners are no walk overs, they deal their own justice to those that don't tow the line, tired and fed up of mistreatment, and fuelled by the Munsey influenced suicide of a popular inmate, the prisoners, led by big Joe Collins, plot a break out, the fear of failure not even an option. Brute Force is a cracking moody picture directed with innovation by Jules Dassin and starring Burt Lancaster (brilliant as Joe Collins), Hume Cronyn (Munsey), Charles Bickford (Gallagher) and lady support (shown in excellent flashbacks) from Yvonne De Carlo, Ann Blyth, Ella Raines and Anita Colby. We open in the pouring rain at the monolithic gates of Westgate Penitentiary, Dassin's camera looking up at the gate like some foreboding warning, William Daniels black and white photography is stark and making its point, all this as Miklos Rozsa's score thunders in our ears, it's clear that this is going to be a mean and moody prison picture. So it proves to be, sure all the formula traits that lace most prison films are in here, but Dassin and his team have managed to harness an oppressive feel to put us the viewer within the walls of Westgate as well. This is a bleak place, there are six men to a prison cell, their only chance of staying sane is memories of loved ones and a unified spirit to not be put upon by the vile Munsey, we are privy to everything, we ourselves are part of the furniture. Brute Force thankfully doesn't disappoint with its ending, the tension has been built up perfectly, the mood is set, so when the ending comes it's explosive and a truly fitting finale to what has been a first rate prison drama. 9/10