Escape from San Quentin
“The Inside Story Behind the Most Amazing Crash-Out in Crime Annals!”
Synopsis
Desmond plays convict Mike Gilbert, who goes on the lam with fellow prisoners Gruber and Graham when he finds out his wife is divorcing him and feels he has nothing to lose. Gruber intends to get his robbery loot, which his father, Curly, has successfully hidden from the law. After commandeering a plane, they double-cross Graham, who assembles his gang to get revenge - and Gruber's loot. Meanwhile, Gilbert falls in love with Robbie, his ex-wife’s sister. Through Robbie’s influence, Gilbert decides to go straight, but his cohorts aren’t quite so willing to reform.
Top Cast
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Johnny Desmond
Mike Gilbert
Richard Devon
Roy Gruber
Roy Engel
Hap
Ken Christy
Curly Gruber
William Bryant
Richie
Merry Anders
Robbie
Larry J. Blake
Hap's Lead Henchman
Paul Bryar
Mr. Lang
Don Devlin
Undetermined Role [IMDb name: "Piggy"]
Dean Fredericks
Hap's Henchman Jerry
Victor Millan
Lawyer Mendez
Peggy Maley
Georgia Gilbert
Dennis Moore
Police Sgt. at Headquarters
Tristram Coffin
Detective Lieutenant at Headquarters
Release History & Theatrical Window
September 1, 1957
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Fred F. Sears
- Screenplay & Story
- Bernard Gordon
- Original Score
- Laurindo Almeida
- Original Title
- Escape from San Quentin
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 21m
- Production Studios
- Clover Productions, Columbia Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Fred F. Sears
Bernard Gordon
Laurindo Almeida
Benjamin H. Kline
Saul A. Goodkind
Sam Katzman
Department Leadership Roster
Fred F. Sears
Director
Bernard Gordon
Writer
Laurindo Almeida
Original Music Composer
Benjamin H. Kline
Director of Photography
Sam Katzman
Producer
Saul A. Goodkind
Editor
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Escape from San Quentin.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Escape from San Quentin.
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MovieLens[30K:40K]
Film Noir
Classic-era film noir, 1940 to 1959.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Escape from San Quentin
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Escape from San Quentin about?
Desmond plays convict Mike Gilbert, who goes on the lam with fellow prisoners Gruber and Graham when he finds out his wife is divorcing him and feels he has nothing to lose. Gruber intends to get his robbery loot, which his father, Curly, has successfully hidden from the law. After commandeering a plane, they double-cross Graham, who assembles his gang to get revenge - and Gruber's loot. Meanwhile, Gilbert falls in love with Robbie, his ex-wife’s sister. Through Robbie’s influence, Gilbert decides to go straight, but his cohorts aren’t quite so willing to reform.
Who directed Escape from San Quentin?
Escape from San Quentin was directed by Fred F. Sears.
Who stars in Escape from San Quentin?
The principal cast of Escape from San Quentin includes Johnny Desmond, Richard Devon, Roy Engel, Ken Christy, William Bryant.
When was Escape from San Quentin released and how long is it?
Escape from San Quentin was released in 1957 with a total runtime of 1h 21m.
Who composed the musical score for Escape from San Quentin?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Escape from San Quentin was composed by Laurindo Almeida.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Escape from San Quentin?
Escape from San Quentin holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).