BRUTE FORCE
US, 1947, 94 minutes, Black and white.
Burt Lancaster, Hume Cronyn, Charles Bickford, Whit Bissell, Sam Levine, John Hoyt, Howard Duff, Yvonne de Carlo, Ann Blyth, Ella Raines, Anita Colby.
Directed by Jules Dassin.
Brute Force is considered one of the foremost prison dramas. Filmed immediately after the war, it shares the atmosphere and stark black and white photography of the film noir period. It recreates an American prison, focusing on the expected scenes of the cells, the yard, the dining room. However, its action takes place over only three days, building in intensity between the prisoners led by Burt Lancaster (at the beginning of his career) and the more experienced Charles Bickford. The object of their hatred is the guard played by Hume Cronyn, a sadistic ambitious man who believes in superiority and brute force. (Many sequences show brutality that memories of the concentration camps would have been in people's minds in 1947.)
The film builds up to a strong climax, with some especially brutal touches, even by more recent standards. The film is jolting in its presentation of prisoners, oppression, injustice.
The cast is strong, especially led by Lancaster and Cronyn. There are some flashbacks, very brief, almost out of place, but dream stories supporting the prisoners' hopes with performances in cameo by Yvonne de Carlo, Ann Blyth and Ella Raines.
Direction is by Jules Dassin who was to go to make Naked City, Thieves' Highway and Night in the City before he was blacklisted. When he moved to Europe he made such classics as Rififi, He Who Must Die, Topkapi.
1. The impact of the film? The themes, 1947, prison, oppression, justice, film noir.
2. The film in Jules Dassin's career, his social and socialist concerns? The film from Universal Studios at the time, supporting such films?
3. The strong cast, the musical score by Miklos Rosza, both pounding and at times romantic?
4. The title, Dr Waters' explanation, in relationship to Munsey, to Collins and the other prisoners? The nature of power, the nature of leadership? Supremacist attitudes, leading to violence, sadism and brute force?
5. The American tradition of prison films, seeing the prison in the credits, the water, the bridge, the cells, roll-call, meals, the yard, work, playing chess, going to the films (The Egg and I, recently from Universal Studios)? The formation of cliques, networks, influence, informers? Punishment? Attempts at escape? The singing by Calypso and his acting as a kind of Greek chorus to the action?
6. Hume Cronyn's performance as Munsey, calm, sinister, smooth? His walking through the yard and the dining room with his assistant? Calling people by their Christian names, seemingly nice, apologies, patting people on the back? Yet his harshness, his bashings? Playing up to McCallum?, wanting to take over? Insinuations? His coming to Lister in the cell, telling him about his wife, wanting information, tormenting him about the divorce, forcing Lister to suicide? His strict enforcing of the rules? The taking of Louis, the bashing, his being informed about the escape? Setting up the confrontation, being named warder, standing in the tower, the machine gun? The final confrontation with Collins? The importance of the scene with him sitting in the warden's chair and the doctor exposing him to himself and his understanding of his brutality? The brutality in action against Louis? His underestimating Louis' good faith with the other prisoners?
7. Burt Lancaster as Collins, young, the reason for his being in prison, the first escape, the relationship with the men in the cell, his bitterness, focusing on himself? The discussions with Gallagher? Going to the printing press, Gallagher warning him about escape and pointing out the obsessed prisoner? The doctor, the alibi for Wilson's death? His planned escape, the information from the man in the infirmary, the story of the taking of the Italian wheel, coming from the back? The build-up to the confrontation with Munsey, working in the drain area? Finding out the traitor? Putting him on the front of the wagon? Going up the tower, the other men dying, his throwing Munsey from the tower? His death? The flashback to his concern for Ruth, love for her, her illness, money for her operation? His trying to persuade his lawyer to help Ruth?
8. The men in the cell, Lister and the story of his wife, stealing the money, buying the fur coat, her ambitions, not wanting to give the coat back? His letters to her - with no reply? Cora not replying or Munsey stopping the letters going through? Soldier and his story about the war, AWOL, the military police, his relationship with the Italian girl, her father wanting to betray them? Spencer and his luck, winning at the games, the flashback to Flossie, the police raid in the casino, the gun and her taking his money and car? The other man in the cell, listening to the stories? The traitor? The brutality of the murdering of Wilson - and his defence that he was forced to plant the knife? Their all joining in the escape attempt, their all dying?
9. Gallagher and his story, influence in the prison, helping the warden, helping the prisoners? The possibility of parole, his being taken away, his decision to escape, the plan with Collins, driving the truck, sending Louis, the failure?
10. Mc Callum and his philosophy of severity in the prison, getting Barnes to resign? Naming Munsey as his successor? Barnes and his weakness, the announcements to the men? The other guards, jokes with the prisoners, at their expense, disgust at Munsey's behaviour?
11. The significance of the flashbacks, the portrait of the four women, their relationships with the men?
12. A prison film of 1947, hard-hitting, social concern, remaking America in the post-war period, brutality and justice?
