Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

People are voting emotionally.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

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.

Hume Cronyn takes advantage of his only career villain role and runs with it, capturing the savage brutality of a man who intends to replace his boss by any means possible. That includes playing mind games with an inmate leading to the man's suicide, and brutally beating a prisoner to make him talk about a planned prison break. For Captain Munsey (Cronyn), kindness equals weakness, and his actions reinforce a philosophy of toughness with prisoners that Westgate Penitentiary's own warden is disinclined to take.Though Cronyn owns every scene he's in, it's Burt Lancaster's picture for the most part. As convict Joe Collins, the story opens with him returning from solitary, set up by another inmate to take the rap when a shiv is found on his person. Collins is popular with his fellow prisoners, who take a unique form of revenge on the guy who framed him. Let's just say the guy wound up with a pressing problem.There's a calendar girl on display in Cell R17 that plays an interesting part in the story. She represents for the inmates the ideal of a girl left behind, and Collins' cell mates are included in flashbacks with the dames that did them wrong or held some special significance. I thought those sequences were well done, and I'd sure like to know who the model was for the pin-up. In "The Shawshank Redemption", we all knew it was Rita Hayworth.Out of sheer coincidence, this is the second film in a row I've watched by director Jules Dassin, the other one being the French heist film "Rififi", made when he left the country following an investigation by the 1952 House Un-American Activities Committee. I find this picture to be the stronger of the two, though both are recommended for fans of noir styled drama that deal with unsympathetic characters. This picture ends on a somber note when the prison break goes bust, with singing inmate Calypso (Sir Lancelot) offering the prison doc the most reasonable of explanations one could come up with - "...whenever you got men in prison, they're going to want to get out."

The basic story is not original, and you always have a feeling that you know how things might go, but ...This is a movie that comes together the way that movies should.Excellent acting by an array of capable performers, great pacing that keeps you hooked but let's you breathe, back-stories are filled in so that you can relate to the prisoners as well as the warders.Burt Lancaster is young and full or fire. Hume Cronyn plays the 'little' captain well as a man with power beyond his capabilities. Given the year of making there may have been more than a dig at Nazi sympathizers. The black and white video makes the conditions all the more stark - as are their options.In an era where movies need to have lots of explosions, fantasy creatures or, pointless swearing to attract an audience it is good to see how a 'proper' movie can be made.

In every society, there are certain men who for lack of a Good Attorney, or perhaps, a bad decision on their part, they find themselves at the receiving end of court inflicted judgment. One thing societies forget or may be they don't want to know, is that the men they have imprisoned, will eventually get out. The harshness of their punishment at the hands of the Warden or the Prison Guards is what drives inmates to remember how to treat their next victim when they do get out. In this Robert Patterson story, " Brute Force " our hero is one Joe Collins (Burt Lancaster) who comes to the attention of a most sadistic Captain of the Guards named Munsey (Hume Cronyn) (superior acting) who prides himself in knowing how to rule. His egotistic style pits him against Collins and every other prisoner at the prison. Directed by Jules Dassin, this early Black and White movie is a great example of find casting of superior talent. Men who will make their mark in other superior movies. Men such as Jeff Corey, Jay C. Flippen, Howard Duff and Whit Bissell. Throughout this story, audiences hate to root for the hero, as he is a convict. Nevertheless, when it comes to Burt Lancaster, we cannot help but feel that he may yet succeed. The end result of this memorable film is the making of a Classic and in looking back, few can argue otherwise. Superb Movie. ****