Brubaker (1980)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Stuart Rosenberg

Writers:

Joe Hyams (book)
Thomas O. Murton (book)

Release Date:

20 June 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The most wanted man in Wakefield prison is the warden!

Plot:

The new warden of a small prison farm in Arkansas tries to clean it up of corruption after initially posing as an inmate.

Plot Keywords:

Corruption | Prison | Prison Farm | Abuse | Prison Rape

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win

Cast

Robert Redford	...	Henry Brubaker
Yaphet Kotto	...	Richard 'Dickie' Coombes
Jane Alexander	...	Lillian Gray
Murray Hamilton	...	John Deach
David Keith	...	Larry Lee Bullen
Morgan Freeman	...	Walter
Matt Clark	...	Roy Purcell
Tim McIntire	...	Huey Rauch
Richard Ward	...	Abraham Cook
Jon Van Ness	...	Zaranska
M. Emmet Walsh	...	C.P. Woodward
Albert Salmi	...	Rory Poke
Linda Haynes	...	Carol
Everett McGill	...	Eddie Caldwell
Val Avery	...	Wendel

Runtime:

132 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Singapore:NC-16 | Canada:14+ (Ontario) | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Norway:18 (1980) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Columbus, Ohio, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Based on the real-life efforts of former prison administrator Thomas O. Murton to reform Tucker and Cummins Prison Farms in Arkansas in 1967-68. Murton served as a technical advisor for the film.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: In a restaurant scene, a Conn's Potato Chip sales display can be seen. Conn's are only made and sold in Ohio, not Arkansas.

Quotes:

Richard 'Dickie' Coombes: Hey, Brubaker, you know something? That's the first time I've heard those guys laugh in fifteen years!
Henry Brubaker: It doesn't bother you, does it?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Teen-Age Crime Wave (#6.22)" (1994)

Soundtrack:

Galveston

Personal Comments

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.