Brute Force
1947
Drama
Suspense/Thriller
1h 38m
At overcrowded Westgate Penitentiary, where violence and fear are the norm and the warden has less power than guards and leading prisoners, the least contented prisoner is tough, single-minded Joe Collins. Most of all, Joe hates chief guard Captain Munsey, a petty dictator who glories in absolute power. After one infraction too many, Joe and his cell-mates are put on the dreaded drain pipe detail; prompting an escape scheme that has every chance of turning into a bloodbath. (imdb)
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Brute Force
1947
Drama
Suspense/Thriller
1h 38m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 67.71% from 411 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews
(411)
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Rated 19 Apr 2007
3
45th
This prison escape picture's sociology lesson is a bit on the syrupy side, but its platitudes are counterpointed with a display of violence uncommon for the time, living up to its title with gusto. An absolutely vicious performance by Hume Cronyn. Its visual schemes are also rather brilliantly composed, usually packing multiple people into the tight confines of the frame, highlighting faces with expressive light and hard-edged geometry.
Rated 19 Apr 2007
Rated 05 Dec 2022
75
80th
People have to understand that in the old days, you couldn't just enter prison with the blueprint tattooed to your body. Lancaster's drive is impressive, he's either going to break out of this jail, or get everyone he knows killed by trying, and he does not care which.
Rated 05 Dec 2022
Rated 09 Feb 2009
73
62nd
Uneven prison noir that's infused with visual style, but promotes it's message rather clumsily. Inmates are never fully realised, with contrived flashbacks and stilted dialogue failing to add depth, love interests awkwardly wedged in. Captain of the guards (Cronyn) scenes of sadistic menacing are great and Lancaster displays presence despite average dialogue. Dassin's lighting and wonderfully staged action scenes are what elevates this, the final confrontation brilliant in it's execution.
Rated 09 Feb 2009
Rated 02 Dec 2009
75
77th
Pretty good. So is Lancaster, if not on top form. The film belongs to Hume Cronyn who relishes his memorable role as the sadistic Munsey. The breakout attempt at the end was nicely done.
Rated 02 Dec 2009
Rated 12 May 2009
75
52nd
Moments of tense brilliance and a nicely realized aesthetic are undermined by an all-over-the-place narrative hampered by flashbacks. The film a little too easily lets the audience side with the prisoners (as mentioned in other comments, these are the nicest group of inmates ever!). Still, with a performance like Hume Cronyn's and Juels Dassin's style, this is entertaining. It's just not up to the level of the director's best work.
Rated 12 May 2009
Rated 21 Jun 2009
74
48th
lancaster is pretty great, i find cronyn's character to be generally unlikeable at the beginning and so is set up badly for the evil person he is made to be at the end. if this movie had more plotting and breaking out time and less flashbacks and down time it would have been pretty good. i dont know about the whole message at the end though, it seems to be saying, "SUBMIT!!!!SUBMIT!!!!"
Rated 21 Jun 2009
Rated 05 Nov 2009
85
88th
Excellent cast, with especial standouts being Lancaster, Hoyt (who looks surprisingly impressive without a shirt btw) and Bickford. And of course Cronyn, nicely low-key at first, complete with SS portrait and Nazi hat. The backstories actually did work to flesh things out, despite the cumbersome possibilities inherent in such interruptions. The only thing I found a bit fudgy was the warden's sudden resignation.
Rated 05 Nov 2009
Rated 24 Jun 2014
84
79th
A robust, skinned-knuckle prison noir. The outline is simple: a crowd of good-natured inmates (perhaps a bit too good-natured, but so be it) plan a risky escape under the watchful eye of a brutal guard, played with sadistic glee by Hume Cronyn. Prison, with its clearly defined power structures, is a great arena for a dissection of power and authority, and the film works very well in that way while still being quite entertaining.
Rated 24 Jun 2014
Rated 14 May 2007
76
58th
Pretty good prison genre flick, done with a lot of Dassin's noir style but falters in a few areas. Despite a delightfully evil performance by Hume Cronyn as the sadistic chief guard, the character is rather over-the-top. Also the prisoners are such a nice bunch of guys, one would think that nobody deserves to be incarcerated. The flashbacks to their romantic lives on the outside were really hokey. Overall, however, not a bad movie at all, and easily watchable.
Rated 14 May 2007
Rated 17 Mar 2010
89
89th
A very enjoyable, tense prison movie. The ensemble of characters was terrific, each lending his own unique personality to the mix. Especially great was Hume Cronyn. What a memorable character. The scenes of secret planning were great, and the climax was fantastic. I really liked this one.
Rated 17 Mar 2010
Rated 22 Oct 2014
90
96th
Never heard about it. Watched it. Love it.
Rated 22 Oct 2014
Rated 29 Nov 2020
75
69th
Pretty good politics, as one might expect from a blacklisted director. Could do without the "women at home" melodrama though.
Rated 29 Nov 2020
Rated 10 Feb 2022
70
81st
An excellent prison thriller. The substance was a tad shallow and didn't hit exactly the right notes - maybe there wasn't enough exposition, but, for example, the prisoners' stories felt somewhat forcefully written in the plot, so the expected finale didn't have the emotional impact the filmmakers likely aimed at. Still very entertaining from beginning to end. Lancaster once again plays a totally based alpha male and that's pure entertainment.
Rated 10 Feb 2022
Rated 08 Apr 2019
60
62nd
Strong performances and the plot starts off strong but then loses my interest when it came to all the romantic backstories, basically saying women led them there. Solid ending. Fav scene: being chased by blow torches into the metal press.
Rated 08 Apr 2019
Rated 06 Nov 2010
89
92nd
Somewhat of an odd genre mixture, with the most noirish parts being the awkwardly introduced flashbacks and characters who don't have much depth but still manage to be pretty free of caricatures. To me, though, it all came together so well, especially in the second half, that all of its problems were easily overshadowed.
Rated 06 Nov 2010
Rated 13 Aug 2011
70
72nd
The fantastic, explosive ending saves a sort of mediocre, all-over-the-place prison film that can't really decide what psychological direction it ultimately wants to go in.
Rated 13 Aug 2011
Rated 16 Aug 2013
75
74th
Very good prison break movie. Excellent villain and a great ending.
Rated 16 Aug 2013
Rated 08 Jun 2023
70
24th
Can you imagine a movie being made today about how prisoners are heroes who should be set free from their oppressive conditions?
Rated 08 Jun 2023
Rated 20 Jun 2014
73
55th
I liked this a bit more than Dassin's Night and the City, but I still wasn't wowed. The story is ok and the performances overall are quite good, I just never really loved it. It seemed kind of violent for its time. The very ending with the Doctor almost made me laugh though.
Rated 20 Jun 2014
Rated 17 Apr 2011
90
86th
About as fine a Hollywood Hays Code prison movie as I ever expect to see. All characters are sharply delineated and believably human. A cinephile my age is used to seeing Hume Cronyn as an old man, but here he is quite a (re)discovery as the disgustingly oily villain. He reminds me of Rick Moranis as Dark Helmet
Rated 17 Apr 2011
Rated 13 Sep 2020
84
88th
Excellent prison-break drama...nay, opera--Capt. Munsey even tortures one of the prisoners to Wagner's "Tannhäuser". The whole cast is good, especially Burt Lancaster, but it's Hume Cronyn's movie--a very capable actor who never got a better role than this one.
Rated 13 Sep 2020
Rated 05 May 2013
84
98th
Brilliant movie and one of my favourite film noirs. The witty script acts as a great counterpoint to the relentless darkness of the story, and the film makes a strong commentary on the use of futility of brute force whether used as a means of imprisonment or escape.
Rated 05 May 2013
Rated 25 Feb 2016
13
69th
Star Rating: ★★★1/2
Rated 25 Feb 2016
Rated 05 Dec 2013
83
86th
An in-depth look at the many dark forms "justice" can take.
Rated 05 Dec 2013
Rated 26 Aug 2019
67
88th
No good guys in this prison break film with the best performance delivered by Hume Cronyn as Captain Munsey.
Rated 26 Aug 2019
Rated 20 Aug 2009
71
55th
It's good, yes, but not great. The middle, including the men's women, is trite and boring. But the villain is thankfully given a little depth, and the climax is brilliantly staged.
Rated 20 Aug 2009
Rated 07 Jul 2009
77
61st
Despite unevenness in character development and some cringe-worthy flashbacks, this is a a well-constructed, intense, & violent prison flick with a climax that makes you both groan and cheer -- I had no idea I could be so disappointed & satisfied at the same time.
Rated 07 Jul 2009
Rated 06 Aug 2020
80
64th
Em honra do centenário de Ella Raines. A grande pegada desse filme é esperar o momento em que alguém matará o Hume Cronyn e, oh boy, quando acontece é lindo. Box Versátil Filme Noir Volume 15.
Rated 06 Aug 2020
Rated 25 May 2009
76
76th
Above average prison noir with an excellent last act.
Rated 25 May 2009
Rated 19 Jun 2008
50
38th
Generic, contrived, naive, still decent but nothing exceptional.
Rated 19 Jun 2008
Rated 08 Apr 2021
80
99th
Loved the Nazi parallel to America's prison system. Or at least those that love the power punishment gives. Have things changed much since Brute Force (1947)? While it tries to humanize the prisoners, the violence is inhumane. Jules Dassin does the death scenes very expressive, which is why this film makes such an impression. Fresh Burt Lancaster might be the star, but it's Hume Cronyn that steals it with his psychopathic skills. Such a wonderfully slimy character to be thrown to the slaughters.
Rated 08 Apr 2021
Rated 25 May 2010
79
72nd
Fun, hard-nosed prison film Dassin. It's at its best when it sticks to the promise of its title - Cronyn is surprisingly great as the deceptively malicious guard, the "prisoner's justice" dealt to rat is an effectively taut and suspenseful scene. When the film wallows in pity for the poor schlubs via melodramatic flashback, it becomes far less compelling - fortunately these do not dominate the film too much. The climax is pretty thrilling, as well.
Rated 25 May 2010
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