A Man Escaped - Characters & Cast

Fontaine is motivated by an elemental and unyielding desire for freedom. As a member of the French Resistance, his fight for personal liberty is also a continuation of his political and moral struggle against the Nazi occupation. He is driven by a pragmatic need to survive and a spiritual refusal to surrender to despair.

Fontaine's arc is not one of dramatic psychological change, but of unwavering resolve and execution. He begins the film with a singular goal—to escape—and every action he takes is in service of that goal. His journey is a testament to endurance. The primary development comes in his final moments before the escape, where his solitary struggle must open up to include another person, forcing him to make a profound choice between suspicion and trust.

Initially, Jost's motivation is simply survival. He is a young deserter caught between warring factions. When Fontaine reveals the escape plan, Jost's motivation becomes symbiotic with Fontaine's: he must participate to live, as the alternative is to be killed by Fontaine to ensure his silence. He ultimately embraces the goal of freedom.

Jost is introduced late in the film and has a very short but crucial arc. He enters the cell as a potential threat, a possible informant dressed in a German army tunic. His presence tests Fontaine's resolve and forces a crisis of trust. By the end, he becomes a willing, if initially reluctant, partner in the escape, his youthful fear giving way to a shared determination.

Blanchet is initially motivated by a desire to be left alone in his despair. His transformation is motivated by the infectious and tangible hope that Fontaine represents. He sees in Fontaine's actions a possibility he had lost for himself.

Blanchet is the elderly prisoner in the neighboring cell who initially represents despair. He is resigned to his fate and at first refuses to communicate with Fontaine. However, inspired by Fontaine's relentless efforts and words of encouragement, Blanchet's cynicism slowly gives way to a glimmer of hope. He ultimately aids Fontaine by donating his blanket for the rope, a small but significant act of solidarity.

Like Fontaine, Orsini is motivated by a desire for freedom. However, his approach is more rushed and less thought-out. Before his execution, he imparts a crucial piece of advice to Fontaine about making hooks from the lantern fixture, contributing to the eventual successful escape.

Orsini represents an alternative, more impulsive approach to escape. He has his own plan, but it is less meticulous than Fontaine's. His arc is short and tragic; his failed escape attempt leads to his execution. He serves as a stark reminder of the stakes and the necessity of Fontaine's careful, patient methodology.