Brute Force

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Brute Force ★★★½ 1947

Lancaster (in a star-making turn) is Joe, an inmate in an overcrowded prison lorded over by sadistic guard Munsey (Cronyn). When Munsey pushes the prisoners too far, Joe leads a daring prison break attempt. While some see this intense drama as heavy-handed (all of the inmates are victims of circumstance), the portrayals are compelling, and the story is first-rate noir. 102m/B DVD . Burt Lancaster, Ann Blyth, Ella Raines, Yvonne De Carlo, Hume Cronyn, Charles Bickford, Whit Bissell, Howard Duff, Jeff Corey; D: Jules Dassin; W: Richard Brooks; C: William H. Daniels; M: Miklos Rozsa.