Il buco
Directed by:
Jacques BeckerCinematography:
Ghislain CloquetComposer:
Philippe ArthuysCast:
Michel Constantin, Jean Keraudy, Philippe Leroy, Marc Michel, Raymond Meunier, Paul Pavel, Catherine Spaak, Philippe Dumat, Dominique Zardi, Gérard Hernandez (more)Plots(1)
1947. A young man, Gaspard Claude (Marc Michel), is convicted for the attempted murder of his wife, although he is innocent of the crime. He is sent to the notorious Santé Prison in Paris and is placed in a cell with four hardened criminals. The latter have decided to escape from the prison by digging their way out of their cell. Reluctantly, they take Gaspard into their confidence and labour digging their way out of their cell. Then, just when escape appears certain, Gaspard is called away to see the prison governor. (StudioCanal UK)
(more)Reviews (2)
If you compare the globally known pop culture phenomenon Prison Break and this classic black and white film from the 1950s, the film version is clearly better. It manages to deliver a realistic and immensely emotive story of the escape of five prisoners from a French prison on a significantly smaller scale. These are not cheap and convoluted script twists, but a functional and clever screenplay with strong characters and a strikingly cynical ending. The film may not be flawless, but it's just a matter of minor details. The French simply know how to make films. Overall impression: 90%.
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Even though it's drawn out, even though it's minimally action-packed, this is still a movie that will entertain you. The characters will win you over because they are incredibly well-written, directed, and acted. You often won't even realize they are non-actors. The director excels in portraying almost every scene, and at his pace, they are all adequately intensified.
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