Review of Brute Force (1947) by Jeffrey P — 26 May 2012
Brute force, indeed! Dassin's prison film is as powerful as a punch in the face - and occasionally as subtle (there's no mistaking the director's allusions when it comes to Hume Cronyn's fascistic guard).
William Daniels' cinematography has terrific staging and nuance, Miklós Rózsa's score delivers moments of tenderness shining through the gloom of futility. Richard Brooks' script is nothing less than a criticism of the system as a whole - surprisingly, there's some upper-level politics along with the cell-block tension - and the cast forms a sympathetic team of flawed men struggling against a deck stacked against them.
This review of Brute Force (1947) was written by Jeffrey P on 26 May 2012.
Brute Force has generally received very positive reviews.
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