Escape From Alcatraz: Between Suspense And Freedom

In the most isolated and inhospitable scenario in the world, in the place where the most dangerous criminals were destined, the myth was born, the legend that was told by the cinema with the film Escape from Alcatraz (Don Siegel, 1979). This film has become a reference point for all prison films (and we rightly add us!).

Whenever we watch a film that deals with issues related to prison, it is inevitable to make a comparison with Escape from Alcatraz .

The cold and hostile environment of the jail and the incessant suspense make it a compelling film that keeps us glued to the screen without giving us a moment’s respite. The enigmatic face of Clint Eastwood, the locations and the plot based on a true story are just some of the ingredients that make this film a success. Sure, a story based on real facts arouses a lot of interest, but if it is also one of the myths of the twentieth century, the attention increases.

An island prison should ensure prisoners are held and no escape, yet some have succeeded. Whether they survived or not, that’s another mystery, but surely the escape made Alcatraz known around the world. The film adaptation has contributed to mythologize the image of this prison and everyone has made their own conjectures.

Don Siegel gave us the film about prisons par excellence, he brought anguish to cinemas and made us empathize with prisoners. Watching the movie, the only thing you want is their freedom.

Alcatraz, behind bars

Alcatraz Island is located near the San Francisco Bay in the United States of America. It used to be a military fortification, but is known for housing some of the most famous prisoners, for example, Al Capone. After 29 years of operation, the prison closed its doors and was occupied by several Native American tribes. Currently, Alcatraz Island is a national park and historic site.

During the years it was a federal prison, there was also housing for employees and their families. Alcatraz’s main function was to house prisoners considered extremely dangerous: those who had created problems in other prisons and whose reintegration was considered impossible. The place was almost inaccessible and there were conditions of maximum security: the prisoners were forbidden even to speak.

An aura of mystery and terror was created around the prison. On the one hand, it housed the most dangerous prisoners, on the other, it was rumored to be a place where countless atrocities took place. Suicides among prisoners were on the rise and some, like Rufe Persful, even mutilated their fingers.

Bad reputation accompanied Alcatraz for a long time. Absolute silence reigned over what was going on behind bars; despite this, the news was spreading. However, there appear to have been some prisoners who would have asked to go to Alcatraz because they claimed that the food there was better than in other prisons. But the controversy did not stop. Sentences, suicides and other facts seemed to indicate that Alcatraz was a place where hostility reigned.

In the last few years of operation, it appears that some of the strict prison rules have been eliminated or relaxed. During the years it was a prison, there were several escape attempts, and two went down in history. The first is known as the Battle of Alcatraz, in which five people, two guards and three inmates died (as well as causing numerous injuries). The second is the only successful attempt: the escape from Alcatraz which took place on 11 June 1962.

The mastermind of the escape plan was Frank Morris, a thief accused of possession of narcotics and armed robbery, whose IQ was much higher than average. Together with him, brothers John and Clarence Anglin managed to escape. Allen West cooperated with them, but due to a problem with his ventilation duct, he was unable to escape. The plan was perfect and the prisoners disappeared without a trace. The FBI assumed they were all dead, but the mystery is still alive today.

It is said that the mother of the Anglin brothers received two bouquets of flowers for each Mother’s Day and that there is a photograph showing the two men alive. In 2013 the FBI reopened the case after receiving a signed letter from John Anglin stating that the escape was successful and that he was very ill. For sure, we’ll never know what really happened, but that’s part of the magic and legend of this story.

Why are we so drawn to these stories? Perhaps, because they feed our imagination and are based on a feeling common to all: the desire to be free. Cinema has given a face and images to our imagination and allowed us to see that exceptional escape. He elevated prisoners to the role of heroes who challenge the system and get what we all want: freedom.

Escape from Alcatraz: a claustrophobic path to freedom

The film begins with an almost spooky scene of the island in the middle of the night, the rain and the music keeping our attention alive. Frank Morris advances into the darkness accompanied by the guards who take him to jail. In the distance it is possible to see the lighthouse of the island which, little by little, gets closer and closer. This beginning is perfect, all the elements are in harmony and introduce the viewer into the story.

Frank Morris is presented as a silent character who barely speaks, his gaze is cold and distant and his facial expression is unflappable. Few faces could have suited the character better than Clint Eastwood’s. Siegel takes full advantage of the enigmatic face of his protagonist and the details of his facial expressions.

Information is given to us slowly and progressively. We know Morris has unusual intelligence, much higher than average, but we don’t know much about him. The atmosphere created around it is fascinating. The rest of the prison inmates and employees also blend well with the atmosphere the director wants to create.

Escape from Alcatraz literally plunges us into the darkness of the prison, into the difficult life of the inmates and shows us Morris’ exceptional cunning. The great realism and attention to detail with which the various steps of the escape plan are shown make the film a masterpiece from which it is impossible to break away. The tension gradually increases until the final outcome.

It doesn’t matter if we already know the story or even if we know the whole plan in detail, the tension accompanies us from the first minutes of the film to the last. The suspense is generated not by what we don’t know, but by what we already know. We all know the ending, but we want to see how they get there: the anguish of the characters, their fears and their worries. The desire for freedom is so strong that even the fear of being discovered cannot stop them. How can it not stop us viewers who remain glued to the screen as if we were hypnotized.

In the finale, the tension eases. The waves of the sea give us some relief, a little hope, interrupting that dark and suffocating atmosphere of the beginning.

Escape from Alcatraz gives us the opportunity to delve into one of the great mysteries of the twentieth century, leaving an open ending like that of real history, but giving us a little more hope. Everything is played on the subtlety of non-verbal language, on the anguish and claustrophobia of prison, but above all on the desire for freedom. With these ingredients the film represents a real cinema lesson.

In the end, it remains only to ask: “What is freedom really?”; “Did they manage to survive or did they not?”. They were undoubtedly free! Death, at times, can set us free more than life itself. This is why we like this story so much, because it stimulates us that feeling that all men desire and want to find: freedom.