Le Trou hits hard. A French masterpiece and an authentic, gritty prison escape movie that's The Shawshank Redemption's granddaddy.
Le Trou is directed by Jacques Becker, an influential director to the French New Wave directors but still remains underrated in the spectrum of well-known foreign filmmakers. Le Trou, his final film is a masterpiece beyond distinction. It’s a prison escape movie that refuses to go for over-the-top heroics and stays within the confines of its action.
Strangely, the movie begins with Roland Darbant talking directly to the camera while fixing a car to let us know we are about to witness his story. Darbant is played by Jean Keraudy, a man involved in the real prison escape plan. Several other players are not professional actors which adds authenticity without compromising on the dramatic aspect of the movie.
The remainder of the movie takes place in La Sante prison in France in 1947. Due to repairs taking place in his cell block, Gaspard (Marc Michel) is moved to another cell that occupies four other inmates. The inmates appeal to no avail this unwelcome surprise to the guard claiming they don’t have space. The prison escape plan is already set in motion and the inmates don’t want another, untrustworthy member looped in.
The gang is vary of Gaspard mainly because unlike them, he is too mild-mannered to be in prison. Manu (Philippe Leroy, built like an athlete) is particularly upset with this new development. Knowing Gaspard is charged with attempted murder by his wife and not having any other choice, the gang hesitantly bring him into the plan. The good food that Gaspard has brought into the cell may have influenced their decision-making.
When the time is right, the gang get to work. And this is where the movie changes gears. As they bang the floor in one corner trying to dig a hole, the camera stays on it. With no music and barely any dialogue, the sequence brilliantly continues. Their prison attempt is masterminded by Keraudy who possesses a particular set of skills (and only 8 fingers) that are required for this daring operation.
The gang works day and night, in shifts, to dig a tunnel through the prison and out a manhole. As we see these men trying to turn their lives around, we feel every bead of sweat and every thud on the wall. This is a masterclass in building emotion. We don’t know what they are in prison for but based on their desperate attempt to get out, it must be something bad. But when watching the movie, it doesn’t matter.
Like other well-known prison escape movies (The Shawshank Redemption, for example), this one also explores friendship. Between the scenes of smashing through the prison walls, we see the gang become more like comrades. In one part of the movie, Gaspard and Monseigneur (Raymond Meunier) have some of their stuff stolen from their cell by a couple of plumbers. Manu complains to the guards and takes matters into his own hands despite the risk of having their plans exposed.
Le Trou shows a group of people coming together to achieve a common goal by sheer will and relentless dedication. Having any more information about the movie before watching it would ruin your experience. Le Trou is effective, sparse and powerful. Like the best movies, it stays with you for a long time.
Claude Gaspard – ‘So you all share everything?’
Monseigneur – ‘As you can see.’
Claude Gaspard – ‘It’s great. I’m so glad to be with you.’
Monseigneur – ‘The pleasure is ours.’
Claude Gaspard – ‘I never know if he’s joking or not.’
Monseigneur – ‘It’s part of my charm.’