You won't be disappointed!

Such a frustrating disappointment

A Masterpiece!

Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

The cast, the lines, and the action in Jules Dassin's 1947 prison film, "Brute Force" are as grim and brutal as the title. The script by Richard Brooks, who later penned a similarly tough western "The Professionals," which also starred Burt Lancaster, and an unsparing crime drama, "In Cold Blood," which also looked at prisons as well as capital punishment, was based on a story by Robert Patterson. Early on in the film, the murder of a stoolie with blow torches and a metal press sets the tone for the uncompromising realism to follow. A group of hardened inmates, who reside in the same tiny prison cell, have formed a close bond; headed by Joe Collins, a natural leader played to perfection by Lancaster, Collins's fellow cell mates include such stalwarts as Howard Duff, Jeff Corey, Whit Bissell, and Sam Levene. An enigmatic picture of a woman hangs on the cell wall and, over time, the image has begun to remind each of them of the women in their lives; occasionally, that picture cues flashbacks that feature Ann Blyth, Yvonne De Carlo, Ella Raines, and Anita Colby, who, like the men, have dubious moral characters.While the inmates exist on the inside and the women on the outside, a third group, composed of the guards, warden, and prison doctor, separate them and serve to debate and illuminate the harsh prison conditions of the time. An excellent, if chilling Hume Cronyn personifies the evils of the system; as the sadistic Captain Munsey, Cronyn manipulates, beats, and tortures the prisoners, while a weak warden stands by and wilts under pressure from the outside to further toughen conditions. The antithesis of Munsey, Art Smith is the sympathetic Dr. Walters, who speaks for reform and drowns his unheard pleas in alcohol.Sharply directed and well written, "Brute Force" was filmed in shadowy noirish black-and-white by William Daniels; the cinematography, like the Miklos Rozsa score, further enhances the film. An unusual and sympathetic acting bit is provided by Sir Lancelot as Calypso James, a segregated African American inmate, who occasionally converses with a calypso rhythm. Veteran Charles Bickford also gives solid support as the wise old timer, who runs the prison newspaper.Intended as hard social commentary to expose the explosive prison conditions at the time, "Brute Force" offers tough as nails performances from a cast of tough as nails male professionals. While the actresses are fine, they are relegated to brief appearances in flashbacks. Although dated in its depiction of penitentiary life, the movie makes clear the enduring desire to break free and rejoin loved ones, and escape is an underlying theme throughout. While current prison conditions are evidently grimmer and more dangerous than those depicted, Dassin's film remains an excellent late 1940's drama that showcases a young Burt Lancaster, a young writer Richard Brooks, and a cast of fine character actors.

I decided to watch as many Dassin movies as possible. This was #2 on my list.I am not sure why this is classified as a film-noir but certainly it used a similar style of cinematography. As most other reviewers wrote, it is excellent, exciting, and entertaining.One small quibble that bugged me a lot: the two Italians spoke (perfect) English. Gimme a break.The movie? Highly recommended. The director? Ditto.

BRUTE FORCE begins with some beautiful rain-drenched establishing shots of Westgate prison. We hear "Calypso" (Sir Lancelot, a face- and voice- familiar to fans of Val Lewton's films) singing a rhyming introduction (which is infused with the kind of irony we find in his songs in I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE); he attends to the needs of the sadistic captain of the guards, Munsey (Hume Cronyn). Warns the prison doctor: the prison is "one big human bomb," just waiting to be triggered. Collins (Burt Lancaster), fresh out of solitary confinement, turns out to be that trigger. Collins times a visit to the doctor to coincide with the murder of the stool pigeon whose testimony landed him in solitary (and thereby provides himself a foolproof alibi). Collins later snarls, to Gallagher, who runs the prison newspaper (who points out that the stoolie killing will bring down the authorities on everybody in the prison): "I don't care about everybody else." "That's cemetery talk," replies Gallagher. "There's no such thing as a short stretch," Lancaster states flatly. He's determined to get back to his wheelchair-bound girl as soon as he can (as she's taken a turn for the worse). BRUTE FORCE is a beautifully crafted, uncompromising movie with an unforgettable ending. Highly recommended.

Universal International's BRUTE FORCE is without doubt one of the finest prison pictures ever made. Outstandingly directed by Jules Dassin this brutal brooding and dark drama, has never been, or is ever likely to be, equaled. Produced for the studio in 1947 by Mark Hellinger the stunning black & white cinematography by William Daniels, together with his amazing use of light and shade, perfectly highlighted the bleak grimness of being shut away on the "inside" where injury and death lurks from every crevice of the thick walls. Based on a story by Robert Patterson it was turned into a brilliant screenplay by Richard Brooks and composer Miklos Rozsa once again supplied one of his high octane tension filled scores.Hardened convict Joe Collins (Burt Lancaster) is a "lifer" in the maximum security prison of Westgate Penitentiary. Together with his old boss Gallagher (Charles Bickford) - who is also doing time as the prison's newspaper editor - he plans an elaborate escape. But tyrannical head guard Captain Munsey (a brilliant Hume Cronyn) suspects a breakout is afoot and will go to any lengths to prevent it. In one intensely harrowing sequence in his office he interrogates inmate Louie Miller (Sam Levene) about the impending escape and savagely beats him with a hosepipe as Wagner's Tannhauser plays full volume on the phonograph. But Louie endures and tells him nothing. However through another informant Munsey learns the date and time of the escape and prepares his guards accordingly to thwart the breakout. With Collins getting even with the "stoolie" the picture ends in a bloody and vicious battle between the guards and convicts with many deaths on each side including Collins and Munsey who have it out in a climactic and spectacular fight atop the gate tower.The acting is nothing short of superb! In only his second movie (after Hellinger's "The Killers" the previous year) Lancaster is especially good as the recalcitrant and difficult Collins ("You're not fit for civil life and you won't accept prison life" Munsey chides him.) Good too is Charles Bickford, Roman Bohnen as the weak and ineffectual Warden and really excellent is Art Smith as the kindly but perpetually hammered prison doctor ("Yes Capt. Munsey - I'm just a very ordinary man. I get drunk on whiskey but you sir - you get drunk on power".) But there's little doubt the picture belongs to Cronyn. In a powerful portrayal of the highest degree he simply chews up every bit of scenery there is as the sadistic and dictatorial Captain Munsey. Also of note is the score by the great Miklos Rozsa. Almost eclipsing his music for "The Killers" his brooding score here pinpoints the seediness and the ever present potential for danger and death within the prison. His sombre main theme, heard in its broadest rendition under the titles, is a slow dirge-like piece reflecting the despair and hopelessness of those incarcerated in a high security establishment. BRUTE FORCE is one of the composer's best noir scores.The picture only has one drawback - the various and needless flashbacks depicting the women in some of the prisoner's lives. These scenes are merely padding and quiet unnecessary. They do nothing really for the movie except break the atmospheric continuity that already had been so well achieved and established. But thankfully they don't last very long and they make up what is only a minor quibble and does not prevent BRUTE FORCE remaining one of the finest gems from Hollywood's golden past.