A Man Escaped (1956) — New Yorker Video DVD
Robert Bresson's acclaimed French prison-escape drama, also known by its full title A Man Escaped, or: The Wind Bloweth Where It Listeth (Un condamné à mort s'est échappé).
During the German occupation of France in World War II, French Resistance fighter Lieutenant Fontaine is imprisoned by the Gestapo in Lyon's notorious Montluc Prison and sentenced to death. Refusing to surrender to despair, he begins a painstaking plan to escape using improvised tools, patient observation, and extraordinary discipline. As his execution approaches, Fontaine must decide whether he can trust a newly arrived fellow prisoner with his life.
Inspired by the real-life wartime experiences of Resistance member André Devigny, this masterwork of suspense finds profound tension in the smallest sounds, gestures, and acts of human determination.
Cast & Characters
- François Leterrier — Lieutenant Fontaine
- Charles Le Clainche — François Jost
- Maurice Beerblock — Blanchet
- Roland Monod — Pastor Deleyris
- Jacques Ertaud — Orsini
- Jean Paul Delhumeau — Hébrard
- Roger Treherne — Terry
- Jean Philippe Delamarre — Prisoner
Hollywood Connections & Cinema Trivia
Director Robert Bresson: Bresson is one of French cinema's most influential filmmakers, celebrated for his spare visual style, precise editing, and powerful use of sound. His other films include Pickpocket, Diary of a Country Priest, and Au hasard Balthazar.
Based on a true story: The screenplay draws on the memoir of André Devigny, a French Resistance fighter who escaped from Montluc Prison during World War II.
Cannes recognition: Bresson received the Best Director award at the 1957 Cannes Film Festival for this film.
Unusual suspense: Rather than relying on action spectacle, Bresson builds tension through meticulous preparations, physical detail, offscreen sounds, and Fontaine's interior narration.
Nonprofessional performers: Bresson frequently worked with actors who had little or no prior screen experience, seeking restrained performances rather than theatrical expressiveness.
François Leterrier: Leterrier later became a film director himself, after his starring performance as Fontaine.
Classical music: The soundtrack makes memorable use of Mozart's Great Mass in C minor.
French cinema landmark: The film is widely regarded as a major achievement in minimalist filmmaking and an enduring example of the prison-escape genre.
Product Details
- Title: A Man Escaped
- Original film year: 1956
- Director: Robert Bresson
- DVD edition: New Yorker Video, 2004
- Format: DVD, 1 disc
- Region: Region 1 (North American DVD release)
- Language: French
- Genre: Foreign Film / Historical Drama / War / Thriller
- Condition: Used / Pre-owned
- UPC: 717119162443
Condition: Pre-owned DVD; disc and packaging may show normal handling or shelf wear. Original inserts or promotional materials are not guaranteed.
Digital code disclaimer: A digital code may be present with a used item, but it is not guaranteed. Any included code may have expired or already been redeemed.
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