A Man Escaped

Play trailer

A Man Escaped

Released Aug 26, 1957

1h 42m

Action

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

100%

Tomatometer

43 Reviews

93%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

In a film based on the writings of French Resistance fighter and POW André Devigny, Fontaine (François Leterrier) is being held by the Nazis at Fort Montluc. When he gets word that he's scheduled for execution, Fontaine channels his energy into hatching a plan to break out. His plan is interrupted when he is assigned a new roommate. Fontaine grudgingly brings the newcomer in on the escape effort, which involves homespun weapons and an intricate knowledge of the layout of the prison itself.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

A Man Escaped is blockbuster Bresson, a well-acted POW drama that builds with subtle, seat-gripping tension.

Read Critics Reviews

Michael Wilmington

Chicago Tribune

Bresson's [film] is both the most realistic and the most poetic of jailbreak films.

Rated: 4/4

Feb 5, 2019

Full Review

Lawrence O'Toole

Entertainment Weekly

It is Bresson's unadorned, almost ascetic style that lifts the tale beyond a genre piece.

Rated: A+

Mar 5, 2013

Full Review

David Parkinson

Empire Magazine

Bresson's masterpiece is still a pinnacle in French cinema.

Rated: 5/5

Mar 5, 2013

Full Review

Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

Man Escaped is a meticulously detailed, pokerfaced chronicle...

Mar 12, 2024

Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

... a mesmerizing meeting of opposites: a prison escape thriller directed by the austere, introspective Robert Bresson.

Dec 16, 2023

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

Robert Bresson was one of the most original and influential filmmakers in cinema history. “A Man Escaped” is an exhibition of his unique style and approach.

Rated: 4.5/5

Aug 19, 2022

Full Review

Read all reviews

Stephen C

Success in 1 hour and 42 minutes!!!!!!!!! In Canadian French and English versions with English subtitles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/07/25

Full Review

jacob c

A spare and methodical film that strips the prison film genre down to its bare essentials, and tactfully enthrals the viewer with its authentic, meticulous psychological focus.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

06/01/25

Full Review

Lars N

It does a lot with very little making it all feel that much more authentic

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/25/25

Full Review

Yash B

"A Man Escaped" is a prison break story told with the absolute minimum, yet is one of the best to ever do it. The movie is simple enough but it really shows the struggle and resilience this sort of endeavor can take. I feel like by making the film largely take place in confined spaces, I felt trapped until the titular escape happened. I will say the movie is pretty slow at times and can even feel mundane, but also I think that is the point. I think there is still a sense of unease and danger and it keeps things suspenseful even when the movie requires a lot of patience. Overall, it is a classic film that is a shining example of how simple filmmaking can be super effective and I think it still holds up really well today.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/02/24

Full Review

Scorsese's Taint 2

Intricate. Still just as powerful.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/01/24

Full Review

Mohamed K

a towering achievement in world cinema, a film that transcends its wartime setting to speak to the timeless struggles and triumphs of the human spirit. With its mesmerizing visuals, haunting score, and profound thematic depth, it is a work of art that lingers in the mind long after the credits roll. Bresson's masterpiece is not just a film to be watched, but a profound meditation on the nature of existence and the eternal quest for freedom and meaning.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/12/24

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Robert Bresson

Director

François Leterrier

Lieutenant Fontaine

Charles Le Clainche

François Jost

Maurice Beerblock

Blanchet

Roland Monod

Le Pasteur

Jacques Ertaud

Orsini

View more photos

Synopsis

In a film based on the writings of French Resistance fighter and POW André Devigny, Fontaine (François Leterrier) is being held by the Nazis at Fort Montluc. When he gets word that he's scheduled for execution, Fontaine channels his energy into hatching a plan to break out. His plan is interrupted when he is assigned a new roommate. Fontaine grudgingly brings the newcomer in on the escape effort, which involves homespun weapons and an intricate knowledge of the layout of the prison itself.

Director: Robert Bresson
Producer: Alain Poiré, Jean Thuillier
Distributor: New Yorker Films
Production Co: Gaumont, Nouvelle France Productions
Genre: Action
Original Language: Canadian French
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 26, 1957, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 17, 2017
Runtime: 1h 42m
Sound Mix: Mono

Most Popular at Home Now