A MAN ESCAPED, OR THE WIND BLOWS WHERE IT LISTETH (1956)
Directed by Robert Bresson
101 minutes
(UN CONDAMNÉ À MORT S'EST ÉCHAPPÉ, OU LE VENT SOUFFLE OÙ IL VEUT) With the simplest of concepts and sparest of techniques, Bresson made one of the most suspenseful jailbreak films of all time. Based on the account of an imprisoned French Resistance leader, this unbelievably taut and methodical marvel follows the fictional Fontaine's single-minded pursuit of freedom, detailing the planning and execution of his escape with gripping precision. But Bresson's film is not merely about process – it's also a work of intense spirituality and humanity.