Brute Force (The Criterion Collection)

‘Brute Force’ was issued on DVD by Criterion in 2007.The cover design of the new Blu-ray is identical.Even the Criterion catalog number is the same (383), but the film was given a completely new 4-K restoration between 2016 and 2018.Don’t confuse the two - the picture on the new Blu-ray is miles ahead of the thirteen year-old DVD.The original negative is lost: The restoration from surviving elements took two years.All the old bonus features from 2007 are included:-- audio commentary by film-noir specialists Alain Silver and James Ursini.-- visual essay on prison films by Paul Mason (16 minutes).-- original theatrical trailer.-- stills gallery.-- the content of the 38 page booklet is identical (except the technical credits).Plus there is one new bonus feature:-- a visual essay by David Bordwell on the different acting styles (13 minutes).Burt Lancaster starred in eight films noir between 1946 and 1949, making him second only to Robert Mitchum as a film noir icon:-- 1946: ‘The Killers’ with Ava Gardner - directed by Robert Siodmak *-- 1947: ‘Brute Force’ - directed by Jules Dassin REVIEWED ON THIS PAGE *-- 1947: ‘Desert Fury’ with Lizabeth Scott - directed by Lewis Allen *-- 1948: ‘I Walk Alone’ with Lizabeth Scot - directed by Byron Haskins.-- 1948: ‘Sorry, Wrong Number’ with Barbara Stanwyck - directed by Anatole Litvak.-- 1948: ‘Kiss the Blood Off my Hands’ with Joan Fontaine - directed by Norman Foster *-- 1949: ‘Criss Cross’ with Yvonne DeCarlo - directed by Robert Siodmak *-- 1949: ‘Rope of Sand’ with Corinne Calvet - directed by William Dieterle.* five of the eight (including ‘Brute Force’) have soundtrack music by Miklós Rózsa,the quintessential film noir composer.With the 2020 Blu-ray release of ‘Brute Force’, all eight are now on Blu-ray (see links at the end of this review).Note that I have not listed Lancaster’s female co-star in ‘Brute Force’.Four actresses are given equal billing in the opening credits: Yvonne DeCarlo, Ann Blyth, Ella Raines and Anita Colby as “the Women on the Outside”.BUT it is a prison movie - the actresses only appear in brief flashbacks.Yvonne DeCarlo is given prominence in the advertising (see photo), but she has no scenes with Burt Lancaster (she’s in Howard Duff’s flashback).Two years later she co-starred with Lancaster in ‘Criss Cross’.‘Brute Force’ was an extremely brutal film in 1947, and it still shocks.Some of the violence is a bit over-the-top.This was only two years after the end of World War II and the Nazi references are very heavy-handed, especially the scene where the head guard (played by Hume Cronyn) beats a prisoner with a rubber hose while playing a record of Wagner’s Overture to Tannhauser.In a more modern reference, David Bordwell in his video essay points out that Hume Cronyn is wearing a “wife-beater” undershirt while beating the prisoner.BURT LANCASTER FILM NOIR FILMOGRAPHY:Between 1946 and 1949, Burt Lancaster starred in eight films noir, but avoided the genre in the ‘50s and ‘60s, branching out into adventure films, westerns and straight dramas.[IMDB considers ‘Sweet Smell of Success’ (1957) to be film noir, but I have my doubts - it’s a showbiz melodrama, much like ‘Sunset Boulevard’ or ‘A Star Is Born’.]The film titles in blue are direct Amazon links.For the rest, enter the film title in the Amazon search bar.1946:  The Killers [Blu-ray ] (Criterion Collection)] with Ava Gardner, Edmond O’Brien, music by Miklós Rózsa - directed by Robert Siodmak (Burt Lancaster’s film debut)1947: Brute Force [Blu-ray] (Criterion Collection) with Hume Cronyn, Charles Bickford, music by Miklós Rózsa - directed by Jules Dassin REVIEWED ON THIS PAGE1947:  Desert Fury [Blu-ray ] with Lizabeth Scott, John Hodiak, music by Miklós Rózsa - directed by Lewis Allen (rare example of film noir in color)1948:  I Walk Alone [Blu-ray ] with Lizabeth Scott, Kirk Douglas, music by Victor Young - directed by Byron Haskins1948: Sorry, Wrong Number [Blu-ray] with Barbara Stanwyck, William Conrad, music by Franz Waxman - directed by Anatole Litvak1948: Kiss the Blood Off My Hands [Blu-ray] with Joan Fontaine, Robert Newton, music by Miklós Rózsa - directed by Norman Foster1949: Criss Cross [Blu-ray] with Yvonne DeCarlo, Dan Duryea, music by Miklós Rózsa - directed by Robert Siodmak1949:  Rope of Sand [Blu-ray ] with Corinne Calvet, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains, music by Franz Waxman - directed by William Dieterle

Criterion is virtually the standard when it comes to great-looking and great-sounding Blu-rays of classic films. The restoration is beautiful. The blacks are nice and inky and the whites are crisp and clear. But the greys also look wonderful. You can see the detail in them. The shadows hide only what the cinematographer and director decide to hide, exposing other bits of visual information. The picture is fantastic. I don't have a quality sound system, but I would assume the same can be said for the sound mix. It sounded completely fine on my TV. The movie is great. It is brutal in some parts, as the title suggests, and Burt Lancaster and Hume Cronyn give some of their best early performances here. The special features are informative and interesting. This is a can't miss disc for any film noir fan.

A lot of bad guys in prison, but we aren't let in, very exhaustively, on what crimes they committed because this film was written to build sympathy for criminals in incarceration, while at the same time heaping condemnation on those doing the incarcerating.The really bad guy in this film is the chief prison guard who is depicted as "sociopathic" and sadistic, which, of course can and does happen in reality, but the creators of this film had no problem demonstrating they believed this sadistic guard was worthy of being punished by death (that's the same as capital punishment isn't it?).So the moral of this film is that its okay to build prisons for, or put to death, sadistic sociopaths but not okay for all the actual prisoners depicted in this film, most of whom we have no idea what crimes they committed. One man, we know, who works on the prison newspaper is in for a life sentence. Now, what crime had he committed? Probably murdered someone to get life. So the convicted murderer does not deserve to be in prison (he is depicted sympathetically, even tragically) but the chief prison guard DOES deserve to be in prison? This film is nutso.

I've been a Burt Lancaster fan since I was a teenager but I had never heard of this movie until recently. I can't say its my favorite but I did enjoy this movie and look forward to watching it again.

All of the Criterion Collection renditions of movies have been scrupulously polished and restored. This one is no different and provides some wonderful characterizations: Lancaster as the single-minded loner whose flaw comes from trusting others; Cronyn portraying the ambitious and equally ruthless guard aspiring to "greater things" built over the bodies of inmates. and a fine group of supporting actors in Bickford, Levene, Corey, and Duff. Look closely and you'll also find Ray Teal (later the long-time sheriff on "Bonanza"),Charles McGraw (another noir staple and the gladiator trainer in "Spartacus"), and Glenn Strange (best remembered as "Sam" the bartender in "Gunsmoke"). There's even a little "Whit" included in the early scenes. Dark, but entertaining with crisp acting and a sense of tension throughout. A fine example of film noir from the late '40s.

This is one of the best cruel warden prison dramas. The Criterion Blu-ray looks terrific!

The best prison film I have ever seen. Vivid escape plot, but the prisoners are all portrayed a realistic, sympathetic people, not the simplified cliches so often presented in lesser films. Really amazingly graphic violent scenes for a 1940s film. Lancaster, in his second film, is very effective. Great cast with Hume Cronyn as the vilest of villains. The commentary is incisive. A terrific Criterion disc,

This is a wonderful little package from Arrow Academy. The picture and sound quality are both excellent. Shot in 1947, the film itself is a top-drawer film noir directed by Jules Dassin, who went on to direct 'The Naked City', 'Thieves' Highway', 'Night and the City' and 'Rififi', all of which are first-class film noirs. Richard Brooks wrote the crisp film script. The film features an excellent performance from Burt Lancaster as Joe Collins, who is determined to break out of prison in order to be with his critically ill wife and to escape from the sadistic warden Captain Munsey, who is played by Hume Cronyn in a memorable performance. The film is dark, taught and very atmospheric as all good film noirs should be. This is one to watch with the lights turned off. Recommended.

Wonderful film great acting gripping movie thought provoking

Excellent sound and picture quality and lots and lots of extra's including little booklet Properly the most realistic prison film that was made

Didn't live up to my personal expectation. Just didn't seem to have that 'ooomph' I was hoping for from the genre - maybe due to its vintage. But good picture quality though.

Good transfer of a very good movie. Quick shipping.