Brute Force

Brute Force is a 1947 American crime drama set inside Westgate Penitentiary, where a brutal regime has turned everyday life into a test of survival. Captain Munsey, the chief guard, rules through violence and humiliation, and the inmates live in fear of him. Among them is Joe Collins, who has reasons of his own for wanting out and who begins to plan an escape with other prisoners. Their scheme is dangerous, and the pressure inside the walls keeps building.

The film was directed by Jules Dassin, the first of the eight features listed in his directing career, and written by Richard Brooks. Mark Hellinger produced it for Universal Pictures and his own production company. Burt Lancaster plays Joe Collins, with Hume Cronyn as Captain Munsey, Charles Bickford as Gallagher, Yvonne De Carlo as Gina Ferrara, Ann Blyth as Ruth and Ella Raines as Cora Lister. Thirty-two performers receive credit.

On IMDb the film holds a rating of 7.5 from around 13,000 votes, and on TMDB it stands at 7.3 from 219 votes, showing that it has kept a steady reputation with viewers over the decades. A critics' score of 7.9 from 20 reviews places it a little higher with reviewers than with the general audience. At 98 minutes, it was released in July 1947.