Un condamné à mort s'est échappé
"Robert Bresson's Prize Winning Film"
A Man Escaped - Movie Quotes
Memorable Quotes
To fight. To fight the walls, to fight myself, to fight the door.
— Blanchet (quoting what Fontaine inspires in him)
Context:
Blanchet says this to Fontaine through their cell windows, explaining why he has decided to help him. He has been inspired by Fontaine's unwavering efforts, realizing that the fight for freedom is a multi-faceted battle against both external oppression and one's own internal demons.
Meaning:
This line, spoken by the initially hopeless Blanchet, encapsulates the film's central struggle. It shows that Fontaine's fight is not just against physical barriers, but also against the internal despair that imprisonment breeds. It highlights the film's theme of resilience and the spiritual dimension of the escape.
God will save you. ... He'll only save us if we give him a hand.
— Pastor Deleyris and Lieutenant Fontaine
Context:
During a brief period in the washroom, the pastor offers Fontaine spiritual comfort. Fontaine's pragmatic reply grounds the film's spiritual themes in the reality of his physical struggle. He acknowledges the possibility of grace but insists on the necessity of his own efforts.
Meaning:
This exchange perfectly articulates the film's theological position: divine grace and human agency are intertwined. It rejects a passive faith, arguing that miracles or salvation require active participation and hard work from the individual. It's the core of Bresson's concept of "Heaven helps those who help themselves."
Had I been alone I might still be there.
— Lieutenant Fontaine (voiceover)
Context:
This is part of Fontaine's voiceover narration in the film's closing moments, as he and Jost walk away from the prison into the foggy streets of Lyon. It reflects on the critical decision he made to trust Jost, acknowledging that his individual effort, however immense, would have been insufficient without a partner.
Meaning:
This final line of narration underscores the theme of interdependence. After a film that focuses so intensely on a solitary struggle, this quote reveals that the final, successful push to freedom was only possible through collaboration and trust in another person, his young cellmate Jost.