This brilliant picture is distinguished by the contrast of reality and poetic fiction. We're being offered a retrospective of a real escape. Moreover, in one of the main roles is a real criminal, just involved in one very famous escape. This is fascinating, especially since Jean Kerody turns out to be an excellent performer.
Lack of music and emphasize every detail. We are shown the efforts made by fugitives. Therefore, in a few minutes during which the concrete floor will crush the most powerful blows will be impossible to come off. This tape is saturated with invisible intrigue - will they find fugitives?
Now this film has sold out on quotes. In almost every film about the escape from prison in one way or another there are references from here. But even so, the tape is fascinating. The cunning eyes of Michel Constantin, the straightforward Philippe Leroy, the touching Mark Michel are all integral parts of a large composition.
What else can I say? This picture is undoubtedly among the top ten films about prison escapes. One of the best French films
I always knew that Jacques Becker, the father of one of my favorite French directors, Jean Becker, was also a film director, but I only watched one of his films, Montparnasse 19. But his most famous film is his last film, Le trou, 1960. The film is based on the real story of the preparation of the escape in 1947 from the Paris prison of Santa, it was described in a novel written after leaving prison by one of the participants Joseph Damiani under the pseudonym Jose Giovanni, the novel was highly appreciated, many could not believe that it was written by a former convict. That escape was much written in 1947, even then Jacques Becker drew attention to the story, and asked for a film, and after the release of the novel in 1957, he remembered his idea and began to implement it, and he sought to make the film as believably as possible, without famous actors, and for one of the roles even inviting the ideological leader of this escape – Roland Barb, who starred under the pseudonym Jean Kerody in the role of Roland Dunbar, known for his escapes. With his appeal to the audience, the film begins. A young man, Gaspar (Marc Michel), who was imprisoned on charges of attempted murder of his wife, is transferred to another cell, where four prisoners are awaiting trial on charges of serious crimes, while repairing the cell in which he was sitting. Since they face a decent deadline, they decide to organize an escape. The arrival of Gaspar alarms them, they are not too trusting, especially one of them - Manu (Philippe Leroy), but then they still decide to devote it to their plans, otherwise they simply cannot be carried out. They punch a hole in the corner of the chamber into the basement through which they intend to penetrate the sewer, which is known to have external wells. We've been watching for quite some time how scrupulously they do everything, almost in real time. The plan is already close to implementation, but then an unforeseen event happens - Gaspar is summoned to the warden, where he informs him that his wife has withdrawn her application, that is, he may soon be released. Not seeing the expected joy on Gaspar's face, he summons him to a conversation we don't hear, but the consequences of which we see the next day. Jacques Becker described the film as the story of modern Judas, who takes part in the whole process, but ends up being a traitor. And he is such a decent person, but only seemingly. Despite the very limited space of action, we are interested in watching the behavior of the characters, which clearly shows what they really are. Unfortunately, Jacques Becker himself did not live to see the premiere of the film, to the shooting of which he approached so seriously that he rejected the first version and reshot it, his son Jean Becker, who was his assistant on the set of this film, completed the film.
Prison experts worked on this film. Director Jacques Becker served a year during the German occupation of France, the former member of the Resistance and screenwriter of the film Jose Giovanni after the war was sentenced to death (fortunately pardoned), the performer of one of the main roles - Jean Kerody (Roland Barba) sat with Jose Giovanni and himself was a participant in a similar escape. These are not Hollywood craftsmen. Serious people who know the value of life and freedom, and their film turned out serious.
The plot is simple. In the cell, where the prisoners are preparing an escape, a young man is placed. The prison is being repaired, no one pays attention to the noise in the building, the internal regime is quite liberal, so the circumstances favor the preparation of an escape, and the beginner seems to fit well into the team, but all the accidents cannot be foreseen.
Since the authors of the film themselves were prisoners, they create an unambiguous picture of the world. Prison is a stone bag, an existential desert for man (even if the jailers sometimes show humanity), escape is a breakthrough to freedom, to genuine human being. Only the human collective preserves the warmth and possibility for man to survive in this stone desert.
Director Jacques Becker reshot individual scenes 20-30 times and achieved the desired effect: when watching, there is an almost physical sense of belonging to how people cut through the stone floor and the cement wall.
The director keeps the viewer in suspense until the last minute.
"The Hole" is one of those paintings worth seeing.
The only drawback is the idealized images of prisoners (without thinking about the evil they once caused to other people), but the creators of the film, as you understand, had their reasons.
9 out of 10
No masterpiece is able, having proved its superiority, to win in the dispute for the title of the best.
Therefore, let him add to the list of pearls of film art along with “Escape from Shawshank” and other films of this genre.
This film is not about a strong friendship forever, but about a male friendship bonded by mutual respect, which arose from the coherence of common efforts, the purpose of which is to escape to freedom; about trust and the price of trust.
The past doesn't matter. Heroes are revealed in the present. Meager confessions about themselves do not have the purpose to awaken in the viewer excessive sentimentality. More important in this world of locked doors are possible terms of imprisonment, confirming the truth of the motive to go out, allowing you to answer a simple but vital question: Are you with us or not?
As the film progresses, you fall more and more in love with the hands with the missing phalanx, capable of performing miracles, creating everything you need from what is available, and imbued with respect for a bright head capable of planning such a thing.
The plot keeps in tension, which increases with each blow of the metal leg of the bed against the concrete, leading to an inevitable denouement. That's the amazing trick of the film - simple monotonous work doesn't look boring. Cinematography does not distract you with the delights that allow you to discover yourself, even in a positive way, and thus does not allow you to remember that this is a magnificent, but only a movie; it creates a reality that absorbs your attention completely.
You are well educated and kind. Life is very helpful. — Director of the prison in relation to the newcomer.
The classic French crime drama Hole has an amazing creation story. You can start with the script and say that it was created based on the book by Jose Giovanni (real name Joseph Damiani), who was previously sentenced to death due to the participation of an armed raid by a gang led by his own uncle. While Jose Giovanni was in prison, he met Roland Barba, another prisoner known for his numerous escape attempts. Barba became the prototype of one of the characters of the book, and therefore the film. The name of this hero is Roland Darban, in "The Hole" his role is played by Jean Kerody. And it's a pseudonym... the real Roland Barba! It's an amazing story, isn't it?
The French director Jacques Becker, for whom “The Hole” was the last film in his career, decided that he did not need professional actors for filming. The film is about four inmates, who are put in a fifth because of repairs in his block. The newcomer arouses suspicion in the quartet, but then they devote him to their secret: with the help of a hole in the floor, they are going to make an escape. The newcomer agrees to help them, although he has a chance to get out of prison if his ex-passia withdraws the application. The laborious and painstaking work of prisoners, their efforts not to betray their behavior, what they planned, clashes of characters and a dramatic denouement - all this awaits you in the classic films about the escape of the 1960s "Hole".
The film is striking in its realism camera work of Ghislen Kloquet, who in 1981 will take the Oscar for the film “Tess”, but there is not so well, but the award was deservedly given. Ghislen Cloquet is also the husband of Jacques Becker’s daughter. But I do not know how this fact played on the quality of the cameraman’s work, but I will once again emphasize that the manner of shooting, its authenticity, expressiveness, catching the suppression of emotions from the main characters – Kloke masterfully filmed everything. It is necessary to praise the choice of locations, which gives a confident feeling that the whole action develops in a real prison. And, of course, this perception contributes to the acting, although, as already mentioned above, all the main actors were not professionals, however, in the future they began a good career.
The role of the newcomer in the prison cell was played by Mark Michel. And he certainly fit into the structure of the tape, given that his character should stand out compared to the rest of the characters. A lot of difficulties will have to go through the boy, and if you decide to watch the “Hole”, you will definitely think how sorry you will be for him. Roland Barba himself (I repeat that in the credits he is listed as Jean Kerody) did not give a moment to say that he is a weak link in the cast. Clearly, he had talent, it is a pity that he exchanged it for a criminal “career”. Charisma and appearance stand out Michel Constantin. The biography of this man is even more amazing than the history of the creation of the Hole. He was the captain of the French volleyball team. Michel Constantin, in my opinion, still expressed the best of his character, without begging for the merits of other actors. Constantin, by the way, will again be associated with the work of Jose Giovanni.
The film “Hole” is striking in its realism even today, although it was shot in the very distant 1960s. In principle, fans of tapes telling about escapes from prison, with the “Hole” you need to familiarize yourself, while first it would be nice to know the history of its creation. Operator work and honesty of non-professional actors in the performance of roles literally immersed in the atmosphere of prison imprisonment, to watch with fainting heart as several characteristic personalities prepare their escape.
9 out of 10
Four inmates prepare an escape, they are moved to a new prisoner - Gaspar. Having dedicated him to their plans, all five begin to break through the passage under the prison.
The prison authorities, feeling wrong, decide to take action, the director of the prison summons Gaspar as the youngest and hesitant, promising him to reconsider his case, in exchange for exposing the escape. Will Gaspard be able to cope with himself and remain a real person?
This film perfectly conveys the prison life of the French prison of the 60s. Operating work is beyond praise. The scenes of concrete wall cracking are filmed so believable that you definitely believe it.
And certainly one of the most cunning and daring escape plans is also perfectly conceived. And so