ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ (1979)

MORGAN'S RATING

Superstar Clint Eastwood and director Don Siegel reteam for their fifth film in this fascinating account of the only three men ever to escape from the infamous maximum security prison at Alcatraz. In 29 years, the seemingly inpenetrable federal penitentiary which housed Al Capone and "Birdman" Robert Stroud, was only broken once -- by three men never heard of again. Eastwood portrays Frank Morris, the cunning bank robber who masterminded the elaborately detailed and, as far as anyone knows, ultimately successful, escape. Filmed on location in Alcatraz, this gritty and realistic reenactment of a true story has all the power one expects of an Eastwood/Siegel movie.

Clint Eastwood (Frank Morris), Patrick McGoohan (Warden), Roberts Blossom (Doc), Jack Thibeau (Clarence Anglin), Fred Ward (John Anglin), Paul Benjamin (English), Larry Hankin (Charley Butts), Bruce M. Fischer (Wolf), Frank Ronzio (Litmus), Fred Stuthman (Johnson), David Cryer (Wagner), Madison Arnold (Zimmerman), Blair Burrows (Fight Guard), Bob Balhatchet (Medical Technicial Assistant), Matthew Locricchio (Exam Guard), Don Michaelian (Beck), Ray K. Goman (Cellblock Captain), Jason Ronard (Bobs), Ed Vasgersian (Cranston), Ron Vernan (Stone), Regina Baff (Lucy), Hank Brandt (Associate Warden), Candice Bowen (English's Daughter), John Milsak (Police Sgt.), Stephen Bradley (Exam Guard), Garry Goodrow (Weston), Ross Reynolds (Helicopter Pilot), Al Dunlap (Visitor's Guard), Fritz Manes (Guard), Danny Glover, Carl Lumbly (Inmates).

NO ONE HAS EVER ESCAPED FROM ALCATRAZ. AND NO ONE EVER WILL!

FACTS

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

RELEASE DATE: June 22nd, 1979 (USA) BOX OFFICE OPENING: $5.3 million (USA) BOX OFFICE RESULT: $43.0 million (USA) - Visitors to Alcatraz Island may be interested in viewing the actual cells that had been home to the real-life inmates depicted here by Clint Eastwood (Frank Morris), Fred Ward (John Anglin) and Jack Thibeau (Clarence). Their cells #138, #140 and #144 are located in B Block ("Michigan Avenue") along the bottom row. The cells used in the film, however, are located in the C Block, middle cells on the Broadway side along the bottom row. - During filming, tourists were still allowed onto the island, and a new boatload would arrive every half-hour. This became so much of a distraction that the majority of filming was moved to night shoots. - Film debut of Danny Glover. - The boat bringing Morris to Alcatraz in the very beginning of the movie (M/V Warden Johnson, named after the first warden of Alcatraz) was actually used to transport prisoners to and from Alcatraz and was not a mock up. The boat was built by prisoners in McNeil Island in Wellington for this specific purpose, and was used for much of the time Alcatraz was in service as a prison. The makers of movie borrowed the Johnston from the Sea Scout crew who was operating her at the time (Sea Scout Ship #145, based on Redwood City, CA). Gary Warren, who is listed in the credits as a guard, was in fact the boat operator, and was also the leader of the Scout crew at the time. - The windshield wipers on the two front windows on the boat at the very beginning of the movie were installed specifically for that scene. Originally, the two front windows had bars going vertically down the center, similar to the numerous other windows surrounding the pilothouse.

DIRECTOR: Don Siegel (The Beguiled). WRITERS: Richard Tuggle, and based on the novel by J. Campbell Bruce. PRODUCER: Don Siegel. ASSOCIATE PRODUCER: Fritz Manes. EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Robert Daley. ORIGINAL MUSIC: Jerry Fielding. DISTRIBUTOR: Paramount Pictures.

QUOTES

Warden: If you disobey the rules of society, they send you to prison; if you disobey the rules of the prison, they send you to us. Alcatraz is not like any other prison in the United States. Here, every inmate is confined alone...to an individual cell. Unlike my predecessors, Wardens Johnson and Blackwell, I don't have good conduct programs, I do not have inmate counsels. Imates here have no say in what they do, they do as they're told. You're not permitted to have newspapers or magazines carrying news; knowledge of the outside world is, ah, what we tell you. From this day on, your world will be everything that happens in this building.

Warden: Alcatraz was built to keep all the rotten eggs in one basket, and I was specially chosen to make sure that the stink from the basket does not escape. Since I've been warden, a few people have tried to escape. Most of them have been recaptured; those that haven't have been killed or drowned in the bay. No one has ever escaped from Alcatraz. And no one ever will!

Wolf: I'm looking for a new punk! Frank Morris: Good luck. Wolf: You don't understand. I just found her!

Wolf: When I get out, your dead! Frank Morris: You might be dead before you get out.

Charley Butts: What kind of childhood did you have? Frank Morris: Short.

CRITICAL COMMENTS

"Eastwood is dour and gruff, yet he's quite engaging as the unlikely hero. And while a few things have been obviously upped for drama's sake, the movie is still quite good on the whole, and definately worth a look for any fan of history." -- Christopher Null, filmcritic.com

Prison Guard: Do you like the Hole Wolf? Because you are going to rot in their for a long time.

Frank Morris: Here. Put that in your report.

Frank Morris: You looking at something?

Frank Morris: Goodbye, boy. English: So long, boy.