Brubaker

My belated two cents worth: The movie is based on the book, "Accomplises to the Crime: The Arkansas Prison Scandal," by Tom Murton. Tom was my roommate at Oklahoma A&M (now OK State U). I have discussed the film with Tom and read official State Police reports of the information on which the story dwells. The first few minutes when Robert Redford goes into the prison incognito was a device to inform the audience of conditions. The remainder of the film is factual, although embellished at points for audience interest. Redford did an outstanding performance representing Murton. At times I could almost believe that it was Murton standing there! Murton was advised by Governor Rockefeller that he had 48 hours to leave Arkansas or be charged with grave robbing. Official reason: lack of qualifications. How much does it take to qualify? Murton got a BS in Agriculture at A&M, and a Dr of Criminology at U Cal, Berkeley, was a Dept Marshal and had 20 years experience in corrections. Murton kept his sense of humor, keeping count of applications declined (he was "too controversial") for similar work (43 at last count), and remarked that one day another system would be so corrupt to demand his services. He died after teaching at Southern Illinois, U of Hawaii, and even his alma mater in Oklahoma. Waste of talent of a brilliant penologist.

I saw this movie with my wife, who wasn't thrilled that I brought this back from the video store. She's the type that pulls movies off of the "new release" shelf without fail. But as we got into this movie, she changed her mind.

Robert Redford plays Henry Brubaker, a prison warden who is recruited to reform brutal Wakefield Penitentiary, in Arkansas. The conditions are terrible, with men sleeping in puddles of mop water and being regularly beaten, tortured, and murdered. Brubaker gets a handle on the conditions there by sneaking into the jail disguised as an incoming criminal.

When he finally begins his tenure as warden, he meets strong resistance from the community, which is used to the prison being the source of local income and slave labor. The scenes in which Brubaker has to deal with the morally corrupt prison board are powerful and captivating. A good view.

Cinematography is questionable, and the editing TV movie-like. Acting is superb, and the local color interesting. I give the film a B-.

Things to watch for: white trash sister, Morgan Freeman's debut, rape scene.

Enjoyed this film starring Robert Redford, (Henry Brubaker) who plays the role as a law enforcement officer who poses as an inmate at Wakefield Prison in Arkansas. Henry discovers many corrupt people in this prison and he eventually comes into power as the warden of this prison. This prison is ruled by corrupt politicians and prisoners who are working with prison guards who are stealing food and money from the prison funds. Henry also uncovers some buried graves of many prisoners who have been buried on the grounds of the Wakefield which starts a complete state investigation and changes some of the major problems at the prison. You will be surprised how this film ends and I must say that Robert Redford gave an outstanding performance in this film.

It's odd that whenever talk of Prison base films crops up you rarely see Brubaker mentioned as a viable piece of work, which to me personally is a damn shame because it's origin source provides a worthy story to be involved in.

Based on the writings of Tom Murton, a Prison Farm Reform Warden in Arkansas in the late 60s, the corruption and murder the film deals with is a very frightening reality, and although this film is obviously fictionalised to a degree, the evidence of the main themes can be found from many sources.

Robert Redford plays the title character who chooses to go into the prison farm as a convict to see at first hand how the Farm is run, what he sees shocks him to the core, which in turn rightly shocks the viewer as well. After learning all he needs to, he comes forward to take control of the Farm and tries to put an end to the torture, corruption and dank depression that is rife at the Farm. He has to deal with many obstacles along the way, and it's the strength of the man that has the viewer firmly onside all through the film.

The acting is emotionally spot on, the title role calls for a cool persona to not get flustered when faced with mounting resistance, and Redford delivers in spades. The main supporting cast of Yaphet Kotto, David Keith, Morgan Freeman, and Jane Alexander do very good work (believable), whilst the direction from Stuart Rosenberg ("Cool Hand Luke") is paced to perfection. The story is grimy and gnaws away at you, and then we get the ending that frustrates as much as it lifts the spirit, this is in my opinion a criminally undervalued piece of work. 8/10

Though Shawshank Redemption has gotten the critical raves and the box office receipts that could make it the best prison story ever filmed, my personal choice for the best film ever done about the penal system is Brubaker.

Based on the true life experiences of Thomas Murton, the co-author of the book the film is based on, Brubaker captures the realities of prison life, the complexities of trying to "reform" the system without sacrificing one iota of entertainment.

Robert Redford leads a great ensemble cast in this film. The people here are real, dealing with complex issues for which there are no simple answers. The corruption of the penal system runs deep and helped in part by the prisoners themselves who don't want to see too much change at once or have a vested interest in seeing things run just as they are. Yaphetto Kotto and Tim McIntire are two such prison trustees, both of them showing very different reasons why they don't like some or all of what Redford is doing as warden.

Among the supporting cast, I'd like to single out David Keith who was the best as the prisoner whose life Brubaker saves and ultimately becomes his biggest booster in the joint. A really outstanding job by David Keith as this simple country kid who just got caught up in "the system."

Rare you can say a film is informative as well as entertaining, but Brubaker definitely fits in both categories.