Escape from Alcatraz

Whether acting or directing, Academy Award winner Clint Eastwood (Gran Torino) always manages to make it gritty and keep it real. And it doesn't get more real than this fact-driven thriller starring Eastwood as Frank Morris, the cunning bank robber who masterminded the only successful escape from Alcatraz's infamous maximum security prison. In 29 years, the seemingly impenetrable federal penitentiary, which housed Al Capone and "Birdman" Robert Stroud, was only broken once – by three men who were never heard from again. Filmed on location at Alcatraz and directed by Clint's frequent collaborator Don Siegel (Dirty Harry), this tough, taut re-enactment of the true story has all the intense character study and sheer power that mark Eastwood's finest work.