FILM · 1960 · FRANCE
Le Trou
- Directed by
- Jacques Becker
- Runtime
- 132 min
- Studio
- Filmsonor, Play Art, Titanus
24 archived facts 3 topics 1 source Last reviewed Nov 2026
Four prison inmates have been hatching a plan to literally dig out of jail when another prisoner, Claude Gaspard, is moved into their cell. They take a risk and share their plan with the newcomer. Over the course of three days, the prisoners and friends break through the concrete floor using a bed post and begin to make their way through the sewer system – yet their escape is anything but assured.
24 Interesting Facts About Le Trou
Interesting Facts (15)
- #001
Director Jacques Becker deliberately cast mostly non-actors for the sake of authenticity. In fact, one of his choices was connected to the 1947 escape.
- #002
The scene in which three different characters take turns breaking up the concrete floor of their cell is filmed in a single take lasting nearly four minutes.
- #003
Director Jacques Becker died two weeks after completing the film.
- #004
La Santé prison was reproduced down to the smallest detail with the help of three members of the real escape, for whom Jacques Becker served as production consultant.
- #005
The film was completed after the director's death according to his wishes, but to increase its commercial prospects producer Serge Silberman cut it from the original 140-minute version by about 24 minutes. The missing footage is still lost.
- #006
Jean-Pierre Melville regarded it as one of the best French films ever made.
- #007
According to 1964 press materials included on The Criterion Collection DVD, Jacques Becker first read about the 1947 escape attempt from La Santé prison in a newspaper. Years later he learned that José Giovanni had also fictionalized the same escape attempt in his 1957 novel The Break. Becker contacted Giovanni's publisher, Gallimard, and Becker and Giovanni collaborated on the screenplay for Le Trou.
- #008
It was shot over a period of 10 weeks.
- #009
The film has no opening title sequence.
- #010
Jean Keraudy is the stage name of the French criminal Roland Barbat, who portrayed himself as the character "Roland Darbant." To conceal his identity, he agreed to do the acting under the pseudonym Jean Keraudy.
- #011
There is no musical score apart from the end title sequence.
- #012
It is the last film directed by Jacques Becker.
- #013
The black-and-white cinematography is by Ghislain Cloquet (Mickey One, Au hasard Balthazar, Tess).
- #014
The film holds a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 16 critic reviews.
- #015
In his biography, Jose Giovanni said that during the making of the film Jacques Becker was about to leave the project because producer Raoul Levy was threatening him. Levy's latest project was intended to steal the film's idea and take it for himself. Giovanni hired a few thugs from among his Corsican friends and went to "visit" Levy, telling him to change his mind about the rival project. Levy got the message and dropped the idea.
Production Story (8)
- #016
The film was completed after the director's death in accordance with his wishes; however, to improve its commercial prospects, producer Serge Silberman cut the original 140-minute edit by about 24 minutes. The lost footage has still not been found.
- #017
The film's music is entirely diegetic; that is, the source of every sound heard is either visible on screen or occurs within the scene.
- #018
Jean-Pierre Melville regarded this film as one of the greatest French films of all time.
- #019
According to 1964 press materials, Jacques Becker first read about the 1947 La Santé escape attempt in a newspaper. Years later, when he learned that José Giovanni had fictionalized the same event in his 1957 novel 'The Break', he contacted Giovanni's publisher Gallimard, and together they wrote the screenplay for 'Le Trou'.
- #020
Shooting was completed over a period of ten weeks.
- #021
Jean Keraudy is the stage name of a French criminal whose real name was Roland Barbat and who became famous as the character 'Roland Darbant'. He agreed to act under the pseudonym Jean Keraudy in order to conceal his identity.
- #022
Catherine Spaak's big break began when her brief, uncredited appearance as Nicole in this film caught the attention of a Paris TV reporter. When Sophia Loren saw the reporter's interview with Catherine on television, she thought her perfect for the lead in 'I dolci inganni' (Sweet Deceptions, 1960), whose cast was being assembled by her producer husband Carlo Ponti.
- #023
In his biography, José Giovanni recounts that during the making of the film Jacques Becker considered leaving the project because producer Raoul Levy threatened to 'steal' it. Giovanni hired a few bodyguards from among his Corsican friends and 'paid a visit' to Levy, telling him to abandon his rival project. Levy got the message and dropped the idea.
Deeper Meaning (1)
- #024
The music in this film is entirely diegetic (every sound has a visible source or occurs on screen).
Sources & editorial notes
Reference databases
- Wikipedia
- IMDb
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