
Escape from Alcatraz
Seen it?1979 | 113 min | Drama, Thriller
Why it’s a Saturday Special
It earned strong reviews (97% on Rotten Tomatoes), audiences rate it highly (7.5 out of 10) and it made about 5 times its budget. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who likes to be kept guessing. If you loved The Shawshank Redemption or The Rock, start here.
- The mood
- Tense.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 53 min.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1979: an older pace and style.
San Francisco Bay, January 18, 1960. Frank Lee Morris is transferred to Alcatraz, a maximum security prison located on a rocky island. Although no one has ever managed to escape from there, Frank and other inmates begin to carefully prepare an escape plan.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
97% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesStrong
7.5 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
Awards data unavailable, so this isn't counted
- Box office & staying powerStrong
$43 million worldwide on a $8 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 324K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
More like this
The Shawshank RedemptionFriday Night FlickAnother much-loved prison drama.
The RockSaturday SpecialAnother prison thriller, and a Saturday Special.
RoomFriday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed prison drama.
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and VileWeeknight WatchAnother prison drama, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
The Green MileFriday Night FlickAnother much-loved prison drama.
Cast & crew
Directed by Don Siegel
- Clint EastwoodFrank Morris
- Patrick McGoohanWarden
- Roberts BlossomDoc
- Jack ThibeauClarence Anglin
- Fred WardJohn Anglin
- Paul BenjaminEnglish
- Larry HankinCharley Butts
- Bruce M. FischerWolf
- Frank RonzioLitmus
- Fred StuthmanJohnson