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The Hole (Le Trou) directed by Jean Becker (1960)
Sometime in the 1940s four hardened criminals are sharing a cell in the infamous Sante prison in Paris. They're plotting to dig an escape tunnel through the concrete floor into the cellars and sewers below. Just on the day before they're planning to start a new prisoner is moved into their cell. This young man, Gaspard, is awaiting trial for the attempted murder of his wife, wounding her with a shotgun during a marital tussle. The men have no choice but to include Gaspard in the escape.
The book is based an a real life prison escape story taken from the first novel of Jose Giovanni who had written it on his release from prison. Becker used Giovanni to adapt his story for the film, and such was the support that Becker gave the ex criminal that Giovanni went on to write many more crime stories and also became a director of film noir.
After Giovanni recommended another ex convict to play Roland one of the cellmates, Becker became convinced that the other cellmates must also be played by non actors. Using a cast of nearly all non actors, the whole film comes over in a very naturalistic manner. The whole film is shot inside the cell and in the gloomy cellars and sewers below, there's only a couple of shots in the prison corridors and warden's office.
This is a long film, over two hours and is meticulous in following the mens tunnelling. This may be too much detail for some people - my fellow watcher went to bed saying it was boring
- but I found the anxiety of the men in keeping their escape attempt going quite engrossing. Their uneasiness at the arrival of the new man adds to the pressure. There's no music to artificially raise the tension, and no melodrama to get you on the edge of your seat but Becker manages to keep your attention nontheless.
I'm going to end there as I don't want to spoil the excellent ending if you ever to come across this fine but sober film.
4/5
Sometime in the 1940s four hardened criminals are sharing a cell in the infamous Sante prison in Paris. They're plotting to dig an escape tunnel through the concrete floor into the cellars and sewers below. Just on the day before they're planning to start a new prisoner is moved into their cell. This young man, Gaspard, is awaiting trial for the attempted murder of his wife, wounding her with a shotgun during a marital tussle. The men have no choice but to include Gaspard in the escape.
The book is based an a real life prison escape story taken from the first novel of Jose Giovanni who had written it on his release from prison. Becker used Giovanni to adapt his story for the film, and such was the support that Becker gave the ex criminal that Giovanni went on to write many more crime stories and also became a director of film noir.
After Giovanni recommended another ex convict to play Roland one of the cellmates, Becker became convinced that the other cellmates must also be played by non actors. Using a cast of nearly all non actors, the whole film comes over in a very naturalistic manner. The whole film is shot inside the cell and in the gloomy cellars and sewers below, there's only a couple of shots in the prison corridors and warden's office.
This is a long film, over two hours and is meticulous in following the mens tunnelling. This may be too much detail for some people - my fellow watcher went to bed saying it was boring
- but I found the anxiety of the men in keeping their escape attempt going quite engrossing. Their uneasiness at the arrival of the new man adds to the pressure. There's no music to artificially raise the tension, and no melodrama to get you on the edge of your seat but Becker manages to keep your attention nontheless.I'm going to end there as I don't want to spoil the excellent ending if you ever to come across this fine but sober film.
4/5