Directed by Jules Dassin
Westgate Penitentiary is racked with tension as the Warden sees his authority slipping into the hands of fascistic subordinates (especially sinister Hume Cronyn) and influential prisoner Charles Bickford. Prisoner Joe Collins (Burt Lancaster) plots a dangerous escape that could lead to a bloody outcome. Violence, cruelty and betrayal combine in an explosive brew, leading to a confrontation between men and philosophies: whether to help, or crush the prison population. Brooks’ screenplay weighs in on the side of compassion, but it is too late for his subjects in this explosive drama.
Universal Pictures. Producer: Mark Hellinger. Screenwriter: Richard Brooks. Cinematographer: William Daniels. Editor: Edward Curtiss. Cast: Burt Lancaster, Hume Cronyn, Charles Bickford, Yvonne De Carlo, Ann Blyth. 35mm, Black and White, 98 min.
