10 Fun Facts About Prison Films

Who played Andy Dufresne in "The Shawshank Redemption"?

Tim Robbins starred as Andy Dufresne, a banker wrongly convicted of murder, who maintains hope throughout his decades-long incarceration at Shawshank State Penitentiary. Morgan Freeman played his friend, Ellis 'Red' Redding.

Besides The Shawshank Redemption, which Stephen King prison novella did Frank Darabont film?

Darabont bought the rights to the Shawshank novella from King for just $5,000; Stand By Me and Misery were both directed by Rob Reiner.

Which actor starred as Frank Morris in the 1979 film about the only successful escape from Alcatraz?

It was the fifth and final collaboration between Eastwood and director Don Siegel, and Danny Glover made his film debut in it.

The famous line, "What we've got here is failure to communicate," is from which classic prison film?

Strother Martin's Captain delivers the line, which the American Film Institute ranked number 11 among the 100 most memorable movie quotes.

Which notorious real-life French penal colony is the setting for the film "Papillon"?

Henri Charriere's memoir has him escaping the island on a raft of coconut sacks; Steve McQueen played him in 1973 and Charlie Hunnam in the 2017 remake.

"Midnight Express" (1978) tells the true story of an American imprisoned for drug smuggling in which country?

"Midnight Express" recounts the harrowing experience of Billy Hayes, who was caught trying to smuggle hashish out of Turkey and was subjected to brutal conditions in Turkish prisons.

Who directed the acclaimed 2009 French prison film A Prophet (Un prophète)?

Jacques Audiard directed "A Prophet," a powerful and gritty film that earned critical acclaim and numerous awards, including the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival.

Who played Gerry Conlon in the 1993 film 'In the Name of the Father'?

Daniel Day-Lewis delivered an acclaimed performance as Gerry Conlon in "In the Name of the Father," a biographical crime drama based on the true story of the Guildford Four.

The 1980 prison comedy "Stir Crazy" famously reunited which two comedic actors?

"Stir Crazy" starred Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder as two innocent men mistakenly sent to prison, marking their second collaboration after "Silver Streak."

Who directed the 1963 POW-camp escape film 'The Great Escape'?

John Sturges directed "The Great Escape," a classic war adventure film featuring an ensemble cast, including Steve McQueen, James Garner, and Richard Attenborough, based on a true story.