Rating: 
Summary: More of a fan movie than a content movie.
Review: (BTW: I marked it down one star for lack of DVD extras.)
This is a typical loner against the world plot. The movie itself is unremarkable in that pretty much anybody could have been in it and it would have been the same. The dialogue is there to get the job done, which is to showcase the prisoners' ingenuity. The direction and cinematography are flat, that is, they didn't try anything interesting to symbolise the characters' states of mind or the inherent claustrophobia. If you prefer just a plain old escape tale you don't have to think about some night, its no Stalag 17, or anything, but it's a good story and you root for the escapees.
It's big draws are Clint Eastwood and Patrick McGoohan, both of whom become their characters with their usual coiled-spring subtle coolness. They are excellent together, it's unfortunate the slow nature of the script drags them down a bit.
As for the reviewer below who said it was wrong to have the "bisexual" McGoohan as a prison warden, I can only say s/he has serious issues. S/he must be thinking of Ice Station Zebra in which Rock Hudson played a submarine captain (not that there's anything wrong with that).
I have read nearly a hundred interviews and press releases in three languages, including tabloid articles, on McGoohan starting in the early 50's with his theatre work, and while they tend to focus on the Irish Temper stereotype, bisexuality hasn't been in one of them. We're talking about a Catholic actor who gave up kissing in the movies because he thought it might be hurtful to his wife and embarassing for his kids.
If he was bi, wouldn't he have been kissing EVERYBODY in the movies instead of nobody? ;)
At any rate, I don't see how that should make a difference in how well someone does a job. But before people spread a rumor like that, they should get their facts straight. (No pun intended.)
Rating: 
Summary: Escape from Alcatraz
Review: A Very Good movie about the only man to have escaped from the world's most famous prison. Clint Eastwood once again puts in another great performance (as does Patrick McGhoon). It's great watching the build up to the prison breakout. My only slight niggle is that the film ought to have been a little bit longer. But overall, it certainly stands up to repeated viewing and comes well recommended. If you are considering purchasing this on DVD be warned, it comes with no extras. Shame on you Paramount.
Rating:
Summary: BRILLANT
Review: A VERY SUSPENFUL FILM BY THE GREAT DON SIEGEL. THE MOVIE DOESN'T LOSE IT'S INTEREST AT ANY POINT. EASTWOOD'S PERFORMACE IS GREAT AS USUAL AND SIEGEL'S DIRECTION IS TOP-NOTCH. A WINNER!
Rating:
Summary: Engaging true story of men's struggle in a harsh world.
Review: As the movie opens, the man (Eastwood) is stripped of his clothes and dignity. The warden tells him no one has ever escaped from Alcatraz and never will. From the inmate's perspective, this statement lays down a challenge for him. With amazing resourcefulness, brilliance, patience, and team-work, he and two others escape from what the movie portrays as a tyrannical, cruel jail. Some people say you can judge the state of a society by its jails. If this is the case, according to this movie, society is inhospitable. A man showed a flower, which he painted a picture of himself holding, which to him symbolizes what freedom the jail can't take away. Painting is the only thing this man has to occupy his mind and the warden takes it away from him. The man goes crazy and chops off his fingers in the woodshop. It isn't known where he got the flower from but the escapees leave it on the shore the night they escape. The warden crushes it in his hand, vowing to find the drowned bodies in the water... I think the movie portrays the escape as a hard-earned act of justice; the unlikely triumph of men desperately trying to survive in a cruel place (or cruel world, as the viewer may see fit). This movie is comparable to "The Shawshank Redemption" which I also recommend. The same actor portrayed the warden in each movie. I think both movies downplay the criminality of the inmates and instead portray them as the victims and their captors as guilty of cruelty. Both involve successful jail escapes except that Escape from Alcatraz involves a much simpler plot and in the Redemption, there is a more powerful reversal after the escape.
Rating: 
Summary: Fine movie, with some dramatic license taken....
Review: Clint Eastwood made a fine thriller, and it is a very accurate portrayal of what life on Alcatraz was like. However, I was disappointed to find out the movie was not historically accurate in several respects. If you want the real story, read "Breaking The Rock" by Jolene Babyak, who is the daughter of the associate warden at the time of the break.
Rating:
Summary: One of the greatest movies ever!!!!!!!!
Review: Clint Eastwood one of America's favorite actors and one of mine as well stars in Escape from Alcatraz. This movie is one of my favorite movies. Clint portrays Frank Morris the masterminder of Alcatraz who made a brillant escape plan to escape from the infamous prison. This film is based on a true story of the three men who escaped in june on 1962. Well to Frank Morris, and the Anglins i hope u made it.
Rating:
Summary: Clint on The Rock
Review: Clint Eastwood plays Frank Morris, who along with John and Clarence Anglin escaped from "The Rock" in 1962. Morris has a genius I.Q. and has escaped many a prison, but the warden (Patrick McGoohan) underestimates him. Since we're never told what Morris is in prison for, we can't really dislike him, so naturally we root for him to successfully escape. Cold reality of prison life is vivid throughout. Frequent Eastwood director Don Siegal turns in another top notch job. The fact that we know how this will end does little to diminish excitement.
Rating:
Summary: My all-time favorite movie!
Review: Eastwood delivers one of his best performances as cool-headed escapee Frank Lee Morris. There's no Hollywood hype involved here, this movie is based on the actual events of the June '62 breakout from the maximum security prison. Many people have speculated that the three actually made good on their escape, this movie does nothing to dispel that notion. A great book for fans who want to know more about this infamous escape is 'Riddle of the Rock' by Don DeNevi. He clears up a lot of the details that went into the escape based on interviews with surviving ex-cons who were there at the time. Ironically enough, it was less than a year after the break that the prison was closed for good. As late as 1990, the "tablespoon trio" were thought to have robbed a bank up in Marianna, FL in the panhandle. The FBI put out a new poster offering a 1 million dollar reward leading to their arrest. What a story it would make if at least one of the surviving members were able to impart a "death bed" confession about their 40 years on the run! Anyway, this movie is a great primer for the most interesting story in U.S. prison history.
Rating:
Summary: great suspence
Review: EASTWOOD PORTRAYS FRANK MORRIS AND HIS WITTY SLY WAYS OF THE GREAT "ESCAPE" FROM THE MOST FAMOUS PRISON SITE IN AMERICA ALCATRAZ. I ENJOY THE PLOT AND THE SUSPENCE WAY OVER TO MY TOP TEN LIST, THE DIRECTER HAS MADE SOMETHING VERY WELL CRAFETED IN THE MEMORY OF THE GREAT ESCAPE OF ALCATRAZ.
Rating:
Summary: Movie would've been better if it was made in 1969 than 1979
Review: Escape from Alcatraz is a straightforward , no nonsense kind of movie which is very rarely being made today. No gimmicks, no sex to speak of, and really it was a man's movie as I believe only one female appeared in the whole movie. Everyone was acting their all and even the bit part actors were in top form. It was exciting without being a bloodbath and I enjoyed seeing the movie again after many years. Nearly 2 hours of first class entertainment and look out for Danny Glover in his first starring role I believe. You may have already guess that I enjoy the movies which were made in the 40s, 50s, and 60s much more than most of the garbage made today. Thank you for giving me the chance to write this review. Michael J Wareham
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