Brute Force (1947)

In the grim confines of Westgate Penitentiary, a world overpopulated by the desperate and the damned, power is an elusive, dangerous entity. The prison's warden, A.J. Barden, is a man of frail command, his authority overshadowed by the ruthless Captain Munsey. Munsey is an ambitious creature of sadism, ruling the convicts through a brutal regime of fear, violence, and deception. His unchecked tyranny reaches a fever pitch when it drives Tom Lister, an inmate of cell R17, to a heartbreaking suicide. This tragic event marks the incendiary beginning of a rebellion. The remaining inmates of cell R17, now stripped of their privileges and thrust into grueling, unsanitary labor in the bowels of the prison's drain pipe, rally under the leadership of the hard-nosed, determined Joe Collins. Collins, a man whose disdain for Munsey burns with a fierce, unyielding flame, hatches an intricate escape plan. Like a chess game in the shadowy underworld, Collins' strategy involves a two-pronged assault on the prison's tower – one from the outside, led by his men, and another from the inside, helmed by Gallagher, a fellow inmate and leader. Their daring plot teeters on the edge of chaos, promising a potential bloodbath. In its essence, "Brute Force" (1947) is a stark exploration of power dynamics, desperation, and the human will to break free from oppression. As the tension mounts, the viewers are left breathless, anticipating whether the plan will culminate in a triumphant escape or a tragic massacre.

Brute Force is a crime movie featuring Burt Lancaster and directed by Jules Dassin.

Brute Force is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Plex, Plex Player, Popflick and Tubi TV and it's also available on Criterion Channel, FlixFling and Max Amazon Channel.

It is also possible to buy Brute Force on Amazon Video, Apple TV and FlixFling.