Granted,
security technology has advanced tremendously over the last fifty odd years,
but if you would like to break out of prison, you can probably still pick up
some useful pointers from Jacques Becker’s final film. Inspired by a 1947
escape attempt from Santé Prison, the gritty caper film remained scrupulously
accurate, thanks to Becker’s co-screenwriter José Giovanni (a.k.a. Joseph
Damiani) and co-star Jean Keraudy, both of whom were participants in the
notorious incident (and not as prison guards). Whether they know it or not, scores
of subsequent prison-break movies owe a debt to Becker’s hardboiled Le Trou (trailer here), which opens this
Wednesday in New York, at Film Forum.
This
is a story of men among men. Whether Claude Gaspard belongs in their company is
a debatable point. He formerly traveled in higher social circles than the rest
of his inmates after marrying up. Gaspard can indeed be ingratiating, perhaps
too much so. After catching him in a compromising position with her
seventeen-year-old sister, his wife tried to administer some shotgun
retribution, but instead she was the one inconveniently injured (not seriously)
in the ensuing scuffle. At least that is Gaspard’s side of the story and he is
sticking with it—for all the good it will do him.
Due
to repairs in his wing of the prison, Gaspard is transferred to the cell
holding Manu Borelli, Geo Cassid, Roland Darban, and Vossellin, affectionately
known as the “Monsignor” due to his seniority. Gaspard is immediately impressed
by their square-jawed toughness and their salty camaraderie. Eagerly desiring
to fit in, Gaspard automatically joins in when his new cellmates reveal they
are planning an escape. Since they have already laid the groundwork, they
cannot afford to wait for Gaspard to be transferred back. Plus, they will now
have an extra hand to help dig.
The
general plan is to break through their concrete floor into the prison cellar,
thereby gaining access to the service tunnels, where they will dig through to
the Paris sewers—and then on to freedom. It sounds crazy, but it is amazing how
smoothly they proceed through the early stages. However, the “Prisoner’s
Dilemma” principle of game theory will inevitably rear its ugly head.
Again,
for the sake of realism, Becker cast five non-professional actors, including
Keraudy, as the fateful cellmates. The other four would continue to enjoy
successful film and television careers, especially Philippe Leroy, who is
indeed a flinty, hard-nosed standout as Borelli, whom Gaspard idolizes above
all others. However, it is rather baffling Keraudy never made another picture because
he is terrific as the brooding Darban. Michel Constantin and Raymond Meunier
nicely balance them as the brutish mother’s boy Cassid and the comparatively garrulous
Monsignor. Yet, Marc Michel gives perhaps the most cringily tragic performance
as Gaspard, the desperate approval-seeker and borderline sociopath.
Crisply
executed and taut with suspense, Le Trou is
a dynamite caper film. After watching it, viewers will feel like they also have
a prisoner or guard’s familiarity with Santé Prison. You can just sense the
accuracy and attention to detail, even if you’ve never done time. Very highly
recommended, the fresh, clean 4K restoration of Le Trou opens this Wednesday (6/28) at Film Forum.
