"Escape from Alcatraz | The Greatest Prison Break in History"

Escape from Alcatraz (Movie Storyline)

Setting:
The film is based on real events that took place in June 1962 at Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, the infamous maximum-security prison located on an island in San Francisco Bay.

Main Character:
Frank Morris (Clint Eastwood) – a highly intelligent criminal with a reputation for breaking out of prisons. He’s transferred to Alcatraz, which is considered “escape-proof.”

Life in Prison:
Inside, Morris meets fellow inmates including the Anglin brothers (Clarence and John) and other prisoners like Charley Butts. Life is harsh, with strict rules, brutal guards, and little freedom. Despite the tough conditions, Morris quickly studies the prison layout, routines, and weaknesses.

Planning the Escape:
Morris notices that the cement walls of his cell are old and crumbling. Using homemade tools (like spoons and a drill made from a vacuum cleaner motor), he and the Anglin brothers begin digging through the ventilation shafts behind their cells.

They disguise the holes with cardboard and paint.

To fool the guards during bed checks, they craft dummy heads made of soap, toilet paper, and hair.

They also build a raft and life vests from stolen raincoats.

The Escape Night (June 11, 1962):

Morris and the Anglin brothers put the dummy heads in their beds to look like they’re sleeping.

They crawl through the vents, climb pipes, and eventually reach the roof.

After sneaking past searchlights and guards, they descend the wall and launch their makeshift raft into the dark, freezing waters of San Francisco Bay.

The Aftermath:
In the morning, guards discover the empty cells with the dummy heads. A massive search is launched, but no bodies or clear evidence are ever found.

The FBI concludes the men likely drowned.

However, the film ends ambiguously, suggesting they may have succeeded. A flower found on Angel Island hints at their survival.