Tournees Francophone Film Festival: “Le Trou”

The last and perhaps finest film by Jacques Becker, director of the
classics Casque d’Or and Touchez Pas au Grisbi and a mentor and
inspiration to the young directors of the French New Wave, Le Trou
is one of the most thrilling prison break films in history, yet also one
of the least sensational. Based on the true story of a foiled escape,
filmed primarily in La Santé, the Paris prison where the events took
place, and starring a cast of non-actors including one of the original
convicts, Le Trou absorbs by its attention to detail and duration: in
long, carefully composed shots, Becker observes the smashing of
a flagstone or the making of a periscope from everyday jailhouse
objects, involving the viewer in the perilous minutia of the quest for
freedom. The story focuses on four cellmates who are on the verge
of carrying out a long-prepared escape when a young stranger from
a wealthy background is assigned to their cell. The four men must
decide whether to trust the newcomer or put off their getaway. Becker
masterfully builds tension through his sparing, precise mise-en-
scène, delivering a timeless meditation on fellowship and trust…and a
devastating final twist.

French with English subtitiles