Photo Opportunity #54

Photo Opportunity #54

Another month, another Photo Opportunity. I thought I’d kick off the month of October with this rarely seen still from the 1979 film Escape from Alcatraz. I have a full press kit for Escape from Alcatraz which was quite generous in terms of stills – but this particular one wasn’t included. 

The photo features Clint as Frank Morris looking slightly uncomfortable while his cell is being shaken down. Actor Patrick McGoohan (who played the Warden) can be seen through the cell bars. The Warden as portrayed in the film was a fictional character. The film is set between the arrival of Morris at Alcatraz in January 1960 and his escape in June 1962. 

Clint was drawn to the role as ringleader Frank Morris and agreed to star, provided Don Siegel would direct under the Malpaso banner. Siegel insisted that it be a Don Siegel film and outmanoeuvred Clint by purchasing the rights to the film for $100,000. This created a minor rift between the two friends. Although Siegel eventually agreed for it to be a Malpaso-Siegel production, Siegel went to Paramount Pictures, a rival studio. It would be the final time Siegel directed Clint.

Although Alcatraz had its own power plant, it was no longer functional, and 15 miles of cable were required to connect the island to San Francisco's electricity. As Siegel and Richard Tuggle worked on the script, the producers paid $500,000 to restore the decaying prison and recreate the cold atmosphere - although some interiors had to be recreated in the studio.

The film grossed $5.3 million in the U.S. during its opening weekend from June 24, 1979, shown on 815 screens. In total (according to Variety. October 22, 2001), the film grossed an estimated $43 million in the U.S. and Canada.