Wednesday, January 12, 2022, 7:30 p.m., Dryden Theatre
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Brute Force (1947)
(Jules Dassin, US 1947, 98 min., 35mm)
In this atmospheric film noir from the director of Rififi and The Naked City, Burt Lancaster plays tough-hearted Joe Collins, a prisoner in a penitentiary under the watch of sadistic Captain Munsey (Hume Cronyn). Fed up with Munsey’s fascistic tactics, Collins plans the ultimate escape, putting his and other inmates’ lives at stake. Though its portrayal of violence may pale in comparison to films today, Brute Force remains one of the first honest and revealing portraits of prison hardships.
Post-film discussion with Curator of Film Exhibitions Jared Case.