Original subtitles

All right, we gotta get back to the boat.

See ya, Matt. See ya.

Come through here.

Strip down.

Open up.

Welcome to Alcatraz.

Inside B and C! Count them!

Twenty-five on inside C, first tier.

Twenty inside B, first tier.

Twenty-three on inside C, second tier.

Seventeen inside B, second tier.

Break out.

Inside B and C.

Move!

Better button your collar, boy.

No forks.

Hey, no forks.

Do you see any?

Fresh fish, you want your pasta?

Hey, you want your pasta?

Do you see any?

I see pasta in my sleep.

I'm Litmus.

Like, uh, litmus paper.

When it gets cold, my face gets blue.

When it's hot, my face gets red.

Inside C, move out.

Warden wants to see you.

Name?

Morris.

That's funny.

This file says Frank Lee Morris.

If you disobey the rules of society,

they send you to prison.

If you disobey the rules of the prison,

they send you to us.

Alcatraz is not like any other prison

in the United States.

Here, every inmate is confined alone

to an individual cell.

Unlike my predecessors,

Wardens Johnson and Blackwell,

I don't have good conduct programs.

I do not have inmate councils.

Inmates here have no say in what they do.

They do as they're told.

You are not permitted to have newspapers or magazines

carrying news.

Knowledge of the outside world

is, uh, what we tell you.

From this day on,

your world

will be everything that happens in this building.

You will shave once a day.

You will shower twice a week.

You will cut your hair once a month.

Now, your privileges.

You can talk.

You can work.

Other institutions hand out work,

but here it's a privilege that you have to earn.

I promise you it's a privilege that you'll want.

Visitors-- You're allowed two a month.

They cannot be former inmates

of this or any other federal prison.

All names that you submit

will be carefully checked by the FBI.

What names do you have in mind?

I can't think of any offhand.

Family members?

None. No family.

Alcatraz is a maximum security prison

with very few privileges.

We don't make good citizens,

but we make good prisoners.

Burglary, armed robbery,

grand larceny--

You've escaped from quite a few prisons, haven't you?

That's why you're here.

Alcatraz was built

to keep all the rotten eggs in one basket,

and I was specially chosen

to make sure that the stink from the basket

does not escape.

Since I've been warden, a few people have tried to escape.

Most of them have been recaptured.

Those who haven't have been killed

or drowned in the bay.

No one has ever escaped from Alcatraz.

And no one ever will.

You two go everywhere together?

Sure. Even to bed together.

And when I wash, he washes.

That way we sleep nice-nice together.

Capisce?

I'm Wolf.

Where did they transfer you from?

Atlanta.

Nice town, Atlanta.

I never saw it.

I'm looking for a new punk.

Good luck.

You don't understand.

I just found her.

Why don't you show her what you can do?

Morris, I need somebody in the library.

Take him over there, will you?

Yes, captain. Move.

What you want, boy?

The bull sent me down here to work.

Can you read, boy?

As long as it's in the English language, boy.

You treat them all like Wolf?

Wolf wanted to get friendly.

I didn't.

You'll take that cart to the cells.

Don't they let cons down here?

You see any chairs?

How come?

Because this is the Rock, man.

They don't want you doing anything here but time...

Hard friggin' time.

Rock affects dudes differently.

It either brings out your strength,

or it breaks you.

What did it do for you?

What happens when you get out?

I won't.

Ten years ago...

I was in this bar in Alabama

when two dudes started hassling me.

That was their first mistake.

They pulled knives.

That was their second mistake.

They didn't know how to use them.

That was the last mistake they ever made.

I got two 99-year sentences back-to-back.

Seems like you could have pleaded self-defense.

The dudes were white, man,

just like you.

When I arrived here,

they put me in one of those dark cells

in D-block.

After a while, I went stir crazy.

Sliced my Achilles tendon to get out.

You'll see why when you see D-block.

Tell me something.

You through killing white guys?

Why?

Well, I don't know.

I just figured maybe next time,

I wouldn't turn my back on you.

Hey.

What's your name, man?

Frank. What's yours?

English.

See you later.

Your name?

Morris.

Okay.

Magazine or a book?

Where's English?

What did they do,

give a nigger a nigger of his own?

Magazine?

Hi. Hi.

I'm Bugsy.

Magazine or a book?

Thanks.

Hey, you're new.

Yeah.

Hey, wait a minute. Wait a minute.

I haven't seen a new guy in six months.

It's nice to talk to people.

How are the Brooklyn Dodgers doing?

Moved to L.A. Two years ago.

Oh? No kidding?

Warden don't allow no books in these cells.

How come?

Because there's no light in them.

Better deliver them books, Morris,

where they can be read.

Right.

Frank: What's the flower?

That's something inside me

they can't lock up with their bars and walls.

I'm Doc.

You ever paint?

No.

Why not?

You scared of dying?

I don't think so.

You better be.

You hurt Wolf.

Wolf's gonna hurt you.

Where are you going, cracker?

Pete.

Something special about those steps?

The higher you sit, the more status you got.

So we kind of play king of the mountain,

except here we don't play for fun, man.

And you're king?

Yeah.

Now I figure there's two reasons

why you didn't sit down on my step.

Either you're too scared,

or you just hate niggers.

Now which is it, boy?

You too scared?

Hmm?

Nah.

I just hate niggers.

So no one's ever busted out.

No one's ever made it.

Everyone here has looked for a way out,

but there ain't any.

See those hacks?

Most joints have one hack

for every seven cons.

There's one hack for every three cons here.

You start shitting at night instead of in the morning,

they want to know why.

Let's say you're going to try it anyway.

First, you've got to get out of the cell.

Each bar has six hard smaller bars

set in a steel tube with extra steel poured in.

And there ain't no way to tunnel out, either.

Shit.

This island is solid rock.

See that water?

It's over a mile swim to land.

The currents make it seem like ten.

And the water's so cold

it will numb your arms in a matter of minutes.

And even if you are a good swimmer,

man, you won't have the time to make it.

There are 12 counts every day.

Sometimes I think that's all this shit hole is,

one long count.

We count the hours,

the bulls count us,

and the king bulls count the counts.

Inside! Everybody in!

I'm assigning you a permanent job--

The carpentry shop.

It's a paying job.

How much?

15 cents an hour.

Well, I always knew crime would pay.

It's a job.

See you later.

I sleep lousy last night,

but I sniff the glue.

It helps pass the nights.

Aren't you afraid they'll shake down your cell?

Then I go to the hole.

It's worth the chance.

I guess anything you want bad enough

is worth the chance.

Including busting out?

Hey, maybe there's a way out.

It's on top of your head.

Yeah.

The ventilator shafts on top of our block.

How the hell do you get on top of the block?

Ask the bull for the key.

Thanks.

Hey, you jive dude, where are you going?

Summer's coming on.

It's getting cooler.

Weather here is as crazy as the Rock.

Maybe crazier.

Mark Twain once wrote

that the coldest winter he ever spent

was a summer in San Francisco.

I can--

Wolf's coming at you.

Is his hand cupped?

Yes.

Which one?

His right.

Break off!

Drop it, Wolf!

Drop it, Wolf.

You like D-block, Wolf?

You better because you're going to rot in there

for a long time.

D-block, Morris.

Look, he came at me.

I said D-block.

When I get out of here, you're dead.

You may be dead before you get out.

Warden don't like inmates fighting.

Don't like them stinking up their cells, either.

Lights out!

Go on back to your cell.

Welcome to Alcatraz.

Hey, is anybody over there?

Frank: Yeah, me.

Come out in front and say hello.

Busy.

How busy can you be in one of these closets?

Don't worry. I washed it.

How you doing, neighbor? I'm Charley Butts.

Smallest cell I ever been in.

You'll get used to it.

I don't think so.

I don't like living alone in one of these cells.

You'll get used to that too.

Break out!

Yard time!

Button the collar.

Who's the new fish?

I got him in next to me.

What's your name, kid?

Charley Butts.

Charley's Butt?

Butts. Butts. Charley Butts.

You got a funny friggin' name, kid.

Yeah? What's your name?

Al Capone.

I thought you was dead. Me, dead?

I got too much money. I'll never die.

Say, you play poker?

Not much.

I just learned myself.

We'll play tomorrow. See you later, kid.

See you later, Al.

I don't believe I just met Al Capone.

I don't, either.

I'm Doc.

Charley Butts.

How's the painting going, Doc?

You mean the one of the warden?

It's nearly finished.

You painting the warden?

He's very inspiring.

Inside. Everybody in.

Yes, sir?

I want painting privileges taken away from Chester Dalton.

Doc?

Cell 2-3-3.

What's the reason?

You're the deputy warden.

You think of one.

When do you want the suspension to begin?

It's not a suspension.

It's an elimination.

Right away.

Yes, sir.

Painting privileges have been removed.

Why?

I don't know.

Painting's all I have.

I'm sorry, Doc.

You okay, Doc?

I think there's something wrong with him.

If I was you, I'd keep my eye on Doc.

He seems pretty upset.

Cons are always upset about something.

Put your overalls on.

Mr. Zimmerman,

I'm making a new table. I need a hatchet.

Bob, get Doc a hatchet.

Mr. Zimmerman!

Can you come over here for a minute?

Get him out of here!

Get him out!

Take him out of here!

Get him out!

Get back to work.

Let's go! Move!

Everybody, back to work!

Let's go!

Here. Put that in your report.

What were you doing back there, boy?

How about a magazine?

Why not?

What do you want?

I got Boys Life.

I know some queens

who fight over it every month.

Just give me what you got on top there.

I heard about Doc,

and I know why he did it.

Somebody took away his painting privileges.

Who?

The warden.

Morris.

Sir.

I hear there was a slight accident

in one of the shops.

Accident?

Oh, you mean Doc.

Yeah, it seems someone didn't like what he was painting,

so someone won't let him paint anymore.

Someone should have warned Doc

to be careful about what he paints.

I think you're absolutely right, sir.

There's always the possibility

that some asshole will be offended, isn't there?

We all have to be careful.

Back in line.

Hey, how's it going, Frank?

Well, well.

If it isn't the Anglins.

What are you guys doing, just dropping by?

Yeah. Thought we'd pay you a visit.

Going to stay long?

Not long. Only about 15 or 20 years.

Why the Rock?

We were going over the wall in Atlanta

when we encountered a minor problem.

Such as? They saw us.

Yeah, that do present a problem.

Well, they shipped us to Leavenworth.

Yeah, but we didn't like the accommodations there, either.

Warden said he knew just the place for us--

Alcatraz.

Is it true no one's ever bust out of here?

So they tell me.

Jesus.

Wonder what I'd be like after 15 years here.

You still reading that Bible?

Oh, yeah. It's opening up all kinds of new doors.

I turned 35 today. Some birthday.

When's your birthday?

I don't know.

Jeez, what kind of childhood did you have?

Short.

Charley I always wanted to see San Francisco.

Never thought it'd be like this.

What'd you get sent to the Rock for?

Couple of years ago I started stealing cars,

for kicks mostly.

Sometimes I'd strip them and sell the parts.

Got sent to the state pen.

And you end up in Alcatraz for that?

Mm, not exactly. There was a bull there

who liked to push me around.

So when I got out,

I went back, and I stole his car.

Unfortunately, I drove it across the state line,

which made it a federal rap,

and the bull saw to it that I was sent to the Rock.

English.

Visitor for you.

Butts, you got a visitor.

Me? Yeah, you.

Probably somebody who wants their car back.

Hello, father.

Why didn't you tell me you were coming?

I was afraid you wouldn't let me.

It's just hard to see you like this.

Your mama's going to die.

Charley.

When?

Well, she's got a few months.

Can you call her?

We're not allowed to make phone calls from here.

You are not allowed to discuss the rules of the institution.

Stick to your personal life.

This is my personal life!

You getting a kick out of it?

Hello?

Hello!

I love you, Charley.

Hey, Frank.

Yeah?

If you try to get out of here, I want in.

Must be Wednesday.

Why?

Mystery mounds.

We always have mystery mounds on Wednesday.

I can't taste it.

I just eat it out of habit.

What's the movie this weekend?

Oh, some cowboy piece of shit.

Hey, at least they could show us a gangster movie. Heh-heh.

I may have found a way out of here.

You looking at something?

The way I figure it,

this cell block's really getting old.

The moist air is corroding the concrete.

The salt is rusting the metal.

Now, I took a nail clipper.

I was digging around the grille

at the back of the cell.

I think with some work

I can dig that grille out of there,

enlarge the hole, and get into the utility corridor

which leads to the top of the cell block

and maybe out on the roof.

How will we hide the hole while we're working on it?

Well, we can tear the ads out of magazines--

No one will miss those.

--and make cardboard out of them,

paint grilles on that, and put it in the hole,

maybe partially obscure it with a towel

or a bathrobe or whatever.

I've ordered an accordion

which I'm going to put in front of my hole.

Suppose we make it out of the cell house.

They'll know we're gone at the next count.

We'll leave at night,

that way they won't know till the morning.

We're going to have to make some dummy heads,

make them out of plaster or cardboard or whatever,

put them in the bunks.

The guards won't know.

You work in the barbershop.

You can get all the hair we need.

How do we get across the bay?

That's where you come in, John.

You work in the clothing shop.

You'll going to steal some raincoats

and some contact cement.

We'll make a life raft

and some life preservers out of it.

I read how to do it in Popular Mechanics.

They're going to think we'll go to Frisco.

Well, we won't. We'll go to Angel Island instead.

What about me?

You'll stand guard while I dig.

I'll stand guard while you dig.

You two trade off the same way.

What are our chances?

Slim.

I'm in.

Me too.

I want to go.

Charley.

Yeah?

I'm going to start digging,

so keep an eye out for the bulls.

If you see one coming,

you start whistling, huh?

How's it going?

Fair.

Whoever named this place the Rock wasn't kidding.

Working with those nail clippers

just doesn't have any grip.

Hey, guard.

Yeah?

Any chance of exchanging this spoon?

Looks like it's been sticking in someone's ass.

And I want to ask about working in the kitchen.

Go ahead.

Thank you.

I'd like to find out

about joining the kitchen detail.

Can you cook?

This spoon's a little edgy.

Can I turn it in for another?

You're goddamn right I can cook.

I used to be a short-order cook in a café down in Georgia.

Everybody loved my meatballs.

What happened, did you quit or get fired?

Neither. I robbed the café.

Heard you had a visitor.

My daughter.

She's getting married.

He's white,

just like you.

Congratulations. Mm-hm.

Want a magazine?

Yeah. What do you recommend?

Oh...

Ebony.

Hey, English.

Is it possible to weld two pieces of metal together

here in the cell?

For digging...

Or sticking?

Digging.

It ain't easy,

but I could show you.

Planning on going somewhere?

There hasn't been a day

that I've been on this rock

that I didn't think of busting out.

If I'd known when I slashed my tendon,

I'd have slashed my throat instead.

Hey, Litmus, can you get me a dime?

No problem.

Cost you 10 desserts.

I need it tonight.

No problem.

Cost you an extra five.

If you get me a dime,

I'll toss in 10 beetles for your mouse.

Thanks.

Hey, Frank, what's burning?

Shh.

If you see one of those bulls coming,

you just start whistling.

Hey, spoof, what's for breakfast?

I smell something burning.

Hmm?

I don't smell anything.

Hell, must be my imagination.

Working nights really gets to you after a while.

Yeah, well, you ought to try it from my side.

Keep an eye out. He may be back.

Think the grille's welded on two-hook anchors?

Think so.

If I can get a wedge out of the carpentry shop,

I may be able to knock those anchors loose.

This might just be what I'm looking for.

Yeah, but it won't get through the metal detector.

Yeah, I know.

Morris, hold it.

I made it for a clothes-peg.

Why the metal over the edge?

So the clothes would slide off easy.

I don't believe you.

I didn't try to hide it.

Why would I take metal through a metal detector?

Because you're stupid.

Move it.

Open up 107.

What did you order this stuff for?

You don't look like the painting type to me.

You wouldn't know talent if it looked you in the face.

I'm looking you in the face,

and I don't see jack shit.

Hair. Your color.

Frank.

Paint. One of them's flesh-colored.

What are you painting?

I don't know.

The ocean maybe.

If you're using flesh-colored paint,

you better damn well paint a portrait.

Yeah.

Frank.

Frank.

Morris go to sleep early tonight?

Yeah.

Wasn't feeling well.

He must sleep pretty soundly.

He hasn't moved.

Morris?

Yeah, what's up?

I went up on top last night.

I saw the ventilator shaft to the roof,

but I can't reach it. I might need a boost.

How are you all coming?

My dummy's ready.

The hole's done, but I'm just starting the dummy.

I ain't doing too good.

Tonight, John and I will go up.

You start getting raincoats from the clothing shop.

Might as well start hauling them up.

I'll wear one back from the shop each day.

There's a different hack

at the cell house door in the afternoon.

He'll think I wore it to work.

Can you get that contact cement?

I keep inventory.

Psst.

Hey!

Give me a boost.

The bars feel pretty solid.

There seems to be a metal hood

riveted onto higher uprights.

We could spread the bars with a pipe

and knock the hood off.

There's an electrical outlet here.

Just get a motor, a drill bit, and a flashlight,

and we'd have it all. Great.

Where's the nearest hardware store?

Can you get me an extension cord and a drill bit

out of the shop?

If they find out, I go to the hole.

All right,

but from now on,

you put your desserts onto my tray.

Time's up. Back to the cells.

Damn it!

Just when I thought we was doing good.

I can use this.

Are you crazy?

Hold it, Morris.

Want to take a look at one of those cases.

Try this one.

Let's open it up.

Stole this penlight from the Doc.

Hey.

Give me a boost.

Pipe.

Shh.

Okay. Hand me the drill.

We're all through.

Fire!

Hey, 50-millimeter guns.

I'm worried about the shakedowns.

My cardboard grille keeps slipping out.

Put some contact cement around the edges.

That should take care of it.

How's the raft and the life jackets coming?

Okay.

I think they'll be done Tuesday.

Fire!

Tuesday night, we go.

What's that for?

Ah, just thinking about Doc.

Yeah. We planted those chrysanthemums

15 years ago.

They meant a lot to Doc. To me too.

I had a garden once.

What'd you grow, weeds?

It's against regulations, Morris, and you know it.

Stretcher.

Get the medic.

He won't need one.

Some men are destined never to leave Alcatraz...

...alive.

Got those books that may help you.

Thanks.

See you later, man.

Goodbye...

boy.

So long...

boy.

Shakedown.

Move.

Move, move, move.

Take a seat.

Been playing this thing long?

Couple of months.

You any good?

Terrible.

You'll get better.

Excuse me.

That's one of the benefits of Alcatraz--

Lots of time to practice.

Has, uh, Morris been doing anything unusual recently?

Sometimes he stays up late talking with Butts.

Split them up. Move Morris.

Yes, sir. I'll have to get a cell ready

and do the paperwork. Do you?

Yes, sir.

We could move him, say, Wednesday.

Tuesday morning.

Yes, sir.

I missed you, Morris.

I missed you so much, I got a present for you.

I'll give it to you...

later.

Get your ass back here.

He'll kill you,

or you'll have to kill him.

Yeah, well, I'm not going to give him the chance.

Can you get the raft and life jackets

ready to go by tonight?

All right.

We'll all meet on top as soon as the lights are out.

Wolf, you carrying?

Who, me?

Move out.

Where are you going, Wolfie?

I'm just going for a walk.

Let's take that walk.

After six months in the hole,

looks like you could use some exercise.

Hmm?

Butts.

I'll meet you up on top.

Let's go.

Yeah.

You're going too.

Butts.

Butts, goddamn it.

Can't risk tearing this gear,

what's left of it.

Throw me the stuff when I get over.

Watch the barbed wire.

Unh!

Get up, Morris. It's moving day.

I said, get up, Morris.

Open up 109.

Goddamn it, Morris. I said get--

Jesus Christ.

Morning, sergeant. What have you got?

Photos and a notebook of Clarence Anglin's.

Funny-looking bag.

Must have been made from a raincoat.

It appears that they drowned. Why?

If that was important enough to take along,

they wouldn't have lost it.

Maybe they lost it to look like they drowned.

Warden,

I just got a message from the director.

He wants you on the next plane to Washington.

Do chrysanthemums grow on this island?

Not here on Angel Island. Why?

I'm curious.

The tides were mild

and the fog light last night.

If they left at lights out,

they had a nine-and-a-half-hour head start.

I wonder if they made it.

They drowned.

Yes, sir.