A Man Escaped

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A Man Escaped

1957

1h 41m

Action

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

100%

Tomatometer

43 Reviews

93%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

In a film based on the writings of French Resistance fighter and POW André Devigny, Fontaine (François Leterrier) is being held by the Nazis at Fort Montluc. When he gets word that he's scheduled for execution, Fontaine channels his energy into hatching a plan to break out. His plan is interrupted when he is assigned a new roommate. Fontaine grudgingly brings the newcomer in on the escape effort, which involves homespun weapons and an intricate knowledge of the layout of the prison itself.

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Critics Consensus

A Man Escaped is blockbuster Bresson, a well-acted POW drama that builds with subtle, seat-gripping tension.

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Michael Wilmington

Chicago Tribune

02/05/2019

4/4

Bresson's [film] is both the most realistic and the most poetic of jailbreak films.

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Lawrence O'Toole

Entertainment Weekly

03/05/2013

A+

It is Bresson's unadorned, almost ascetic style that lifts the tale beyond a genre piece.

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David Parkinson

Empire Magazine

03/05/2013

5/5

Bresson's masterpiece is still a pinnacle in French cinema.

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Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

03/12/2024

Man Escaped is a meticulously detailed, pokerfaced chronicle...

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

12/16/2023

... a mesmerizing meeting of opposites: a prison escape thriller directed by the austere, introspective Robert Bresson.

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

08/19/2022

4.5/5

Robert Bresson was one of the most original and influential filmmakers in cinema history. “A Man Escaped” is an exhibition of his unique style and approach.

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J S.

@jennyds33 Mar 6

An amazing story and simple storytelling make this a movie where you don’t want to miss a single detail. A wonderful suspense movie without being so flashy.

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Jun 7

Success in 1 hour and 42 minutes!!!!!!!!! In Canadian French and English versions with English subtitles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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jacob c

@RT09118617 Jun 1

A spare and methodical film that strips the prison film genre down to its bare essentials, and tactfully enthrals the viewer with its authentic, meticulous psychological focus.

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Lars N

@movie_douche 01/25/2025

It does a lot with very little making it all feel that much more authentic

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Yash B

@yashbansal 11/02/2024

"A Man Escaped" is a prison break story told with the absolute minimum, yet is one of the best to ever do it. The movie is simple enough but it really shows the struggle and resilience this sort of endeavor can take. I feel like by making the film largely take place in confined spaces, I felt trapped until the titular escape happened. I will say the movie is pretty slow at times and can even feel mundane, but also I think that is the point. I think there is still a sense of unease and danger and it keeps things suspenseful even when the movie requires a lot of patience. Overall, it is a classic film that is a shining example of how simple filmmaking can be super effective and I think it still holds up really well today.

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Scorsese's Taint 2

@RT19444632 10/01/2024

Intricate. Still just as powerful.

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Robert Bresson

Director

François Leterrier

Lieutenant Fontaine

Charles Le Clainche

François Jost

Maurice Beerblock

Blanchet

Roland Monod

Le Pasteur

Jacques Ertaud

Orsini

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Synopsis

In a film based on the writings of French Resistance fighter and POW André Devigny, Fontaine (François Leterrier) is being held by the Nazis at Fort Montluc. When he gets word that he's scheduled for execution, Fontaine channels his energy into hatching a plan to break out. His plan is interrupted when he is assigned a new roommate. Fontaine grudgingly brings the newcomer in on the escape effort, which involves homespun weapons and an intricate knowledge of the layout of the prison itself.

Director: Robert Bresson
Producer: Alain Poiré, Jean Thuillier
Distributor: New Yorker Films
Production Co: Gaumont, Nouvelle France Productions
Genre: Action, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: Canadian French
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 26, 1957, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 17, 2017
Runtime: 1h 41m
Sound Mix: Mono

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