This is an old favourite from yesteryears, starring Clint Eastwood and directed by Don Siegel whom he acknowledges as his guru in filmmaking. Dealing with a time-tested subject, that of jailbreak on which so many memorable films have been made, what strikes the viewers in this one is the sparse, minimal treatment of its action. We get to know nothing of the background of the protagonist and his companions; there is no attempt at any psychological probing, but we empathize with their meticulous struggle to escape. This is a no-fuss, no-frills cinema that remains durable like its protagonist in real life.
Based on true accounts that continue to bewilder investigators, ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ (1979) by Don Siegel is streaming on Netflix.
Ranjan Das is a Mumbai based filmmaker & faculty.
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