A Man Escaped (1956): 102 minutes
Director: Robert Bresson
Cast: Francois Leterrier, Charles Le Clainche, Maurice Beerblock, Roland Monod, Jacques Ertaud, Jean Paul Delhumeau, et al.
Robert Bresson’s, A Man Escaped, is a gripping French film based on the memoir of André Devigny, a French soldier and Resistance fighter who narrowly escaped execution in a Nazi prison. Bresson, who had his own traumatic experiences in a Nazi prison during the German occupation of France, crafted a story that transcends the typical escape thriller, focusing instead on the mental and spiritual struggle of a man facing certain death.
The film follows Fontaine, a French Resistance fighter captured by the Nazis. After a failed escape attempt en route to Montluc prison, Fontaine is tortured and placed in solitary confinement. The prison is a place of despair, with regular gunfire signalling the execution of fellow prisoners. Despite the overwhelming odds and the constant threat of death, Fontaine refuses to give up hope. He begins to carefully examine his surroundings, slowly formulating a plan to break out.
With the help of fellow prisoners like Terry, who smuggles him a safety pin, Fontaine unlocks his handcuffs and uses a spoon to chisel away at the door of his cell. Over time, he constructs a makeshift rope from linens and hooks from lighting fixtures, preparing for his escape.
As his execution date draws near, Fontaine is placed in a cell with a young boy, Jost. Initially suspicious that Jost may be a spy, Fontaine ultimately decides to trust him, and the two join forces. On the eve of his execution, Fontaine and Jost put the escape plan into action, killing a guard, scaling the prison walls, and making their way to freedom.
Bresson’s film is a powerful meditation on perseverance, faith, and the triumph of the human spirit against seemingly impossible odds.
12 Mighty Orphans (2012): 118 minutes
Director: Ty Roberts
Cast: Luke Wilson, Vinessa Shaw, Wayne Knight, Martin Sheen, Jake Walker, Scott Haze, Jacob Lofland, Treat Williams, Jacob Pine.
12 Mighty Orphans is an inspirational sports film based on Jim Dent’s novel, telling the true story of Rusty Russell, a legendary football coach who transformed a group of orphans into Texas football champions during the 1930s. Set against the backdrop of the Great Depression, Russell, himself an orphan and World War I veteran, takes a bold step by moving to the Masonic Home, an orphanage in Fort Worth, Texas, to coach football.
The boys at the orphanage, known as the “Mighty Mites,” live in harsh conditions under the cruel Warden Frank Wynn. Initially humiliated by stronger rival teams, the undernourished and undertrained orphans seem unlikely to succeed in football. However, Russell believes in their potential. Using his ingenuity, he creates a new strategy, the spread offense, that compensates for their lack of physical strength and transforms their playing style.
Despite opposition from Warden Wynn and the disheartening attitude of Doctor Hall, Russell receives support from his wife, Juanita, and benefactor Mason Hawk. His careful mentoring and discipline, particularly of troubled player Hardy Brown, leads to remarkable progress. Brown eventually becomes the star player of the team.
Through Russell’s determination and the boys’ resilience, the Mighty Mites defy the odds and rise to play in the 1938 Texas State Championship. Russell’s innovative coaching techniques, especially the spread offense, leave a lasting legacy in football. From 1927 to 1941, Rusty Russell’s leadership and belief in his team turned a group of downtrodden orphans into a symbol of hope and perseverance.
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