Marcus Chen
The 1979 film Escape from Alcatraz depicts the 1962 escape of inmates Frank Lee Morris and brothers Clarence and John Anglin from Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, a maximum-security prison located on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay. In the film, Morris becomes acquainted with fellow inmate Charley Butts, and the two, along with the Anglin brothers, plan their escape from the prison. They dig through the walls of their cells with spoons, create dummy heads from papier-mâché and human hair, and construct a raft to reach Angel Island. On the night of the escape, Butts loses his nerve and fails to meet the others, leaving Morris and the Anglin brothers to escape without him.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of release | 1979 |
| Director | Don Siegel |
| Based on | The 1963 non-fiction book of the same name by J. Campbell Bruce |
| Star cast | Clint Eastwood, Patrick McGoohan, Fred Ward |
| Character of Charlie Butts | Part of the plot to escape, but ultimately gets cold feet and fails to escape |
| Reason for escape | His mother is dying, and he wants to see or talk to her one last time |
| Doc's painting | Doc paints a portrait of the Warden, which captures his cruel nature |
| Warden's reaction | He is enraged and strips Doc of his painting privileges |
| Doc's reaction | He cuts off his fingers with a hatchet |
| Outcome of escape attempt | Butts is left behind by the other three inmates and is unable to escape |
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What You'll Learn
Charlie Butts' character in the film
Charlie Butts is a fictional character in the 1979 film "Escape from Alcatraz", which is based on a non-fiction book of the same name by J. Campbell Bruce. The film is directed by Don Siegel and stars Clint Eastwood as Frank Morris, the protagonist.
Charlie Butts is a fellow inmate and cellmate of Frank Morris in the Alcatraz prison. Butts is a part of the plot to escape from the prison, along with Morris, John and Clarence Anglin, and Doc. Butts plays a crucial role as a lookout, watching for guards while Morris digs a hole in his cell. However, on the night of the escape, he loses his nerve and fails to join the others in time. By the time he regains his courage, it is too late, and he is left behind while the other three escape.
The character of Charlie Butts serves a specific purpose in the film's narrative. His inclusion highlights the cost of the escape, as his inability to join the others in time adds a sense of sacrifice and tension to the story. Additionally, the cross-cutting between Butts' attempts to follow his companions and their actual escape creates a compelling cinematic device.
The real-life counterpart of Charlie Butts was Allan West, who was also involved in the escape attempt from Alcatraz in 1962. However, West failed to remove his ventilator grille on the night of the escape and was left behind.
Charlie Butts' motivation for participating in the escape is also explored in the film. It is revealed that his mother is dying, and he wants one last chance to see or speak to her. This adds a layer of depth to his character, showcasing his humanity and the emotional stakes involved in his decision to escape.
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Butts' role in the escape plan
Charley Butts is a prisoner at Alcatraz, who becomes the new cellmate of Frank Morris. Morris, an inmate with a high IQ, devises an escape plan after noticing that the concrete around the grille in his cell is weak and can be chipped away. Butts is roped into the plan, along with bank-robbing brothers John and Clarence Anglin, who are old friends of Morris from another prison. Butts' role in the escape plan is to act as a lookout while Morris digs a hole in his cell. However, on the night of the escape, he loses his nerve and fails to rendezvous with the other inmates, forcing them to go on without him.
Butts' character is motivated by his dying mother, whom he desperately wants to see or talk to one last time. This is the reason he takes part in the escape plan. However, his nerves get the better of him, and he is unable to join the others in time. While the other inmates escape, Butts is left behind, returning to his cell in despair.
Butts' character serves a narrative purpose in the story, as his failure to join the escape adds a layer of sacrifice and cost to the successful breakout. His role as a lookout also provides tension and suspense, as the inmates must carefully watch for guards while digging their escape route.
In the end, Butts' fate is left unknown, as he is not shown escaping or being captured. The real-life counterpart of his character, Allen West, was left behind during the actual escape from Alcatraz, as he failed to remove his ventilator grille on the night of the breakout.
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Butts' change of heart
Charlie Butts, an inmate at Alcatraz, is initially part of the plot to escape. However, he eventually has a change of heart and decides not to go through with it. Butts' character is portrayed as having a pivotal role in the escape plan, acting as a lookout while Frank Morris, the protagonist, digs a hole in his cell. Butts' mother is dying, and his motivation for the escape is to see or speak to her one last time.
On the night of the escape, June 11, 1962, Butts loses his nerve and fails to meet his co-conspirators in the passageway. This forces Morris and the Anglin brothers, John and Clarence, to go ahead without him. Carrying the flotation gear, Morris and the Anglins access the roof and avoid the searchlights. Butts regains his nerve but it is too late, and he is forced to return to his cell in despair.
The next morning, a guard discovers the dummy head in Morris' cell and sounds the alarm. A search party is formed, and the Warden learns that personal effects of the escapees were found floating in the bay. The Warden insists that the men must have drowned, as they would not have left their belongings behind. However, no bodies are ever found, and the fate of the escapees remains a mystery.
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Butts' portrayal in the film
In the 1979 film *Escape from Alcatraz*, Charlie Butts is a fellow inmate and acquaintance of the protagonist, Frank Morris (Clint Eastwood). Butts is a key character in the plot to escape from Alcatraz, a maximum-security prison known for its high level of security.
Butts is portrayed as a nervous character who ultimately gets cold feet and fails to escape with Morris and the Anglin brothers. He is left behind, returning to his cell in despair. This adds an element of sacrifice and cost to the escape, as Butts is unable to join his companions despite his initial involvement in the plan.
Butts' role in the film is primarily to serve the plot and support the protagonist's escape. He acts as a lookout, watching for guards while Morris digs a hole in his cell. Butts' character also provides emotional depth to the story, as his hesitation to escape is motivated by his dying mother, whom he wants to see or talk to one last time.
The portrayal of Butts in the film is based on his real-life counterpart, Allen West, who was also left behind during the actual escape attempt from Alcatraz in 1962. West had conspired with Morris and the Anglin brothers to escape, but he failed to remove his ventilator grille on the night of the escape and had to be left behind by the others.
Overall, the character of Charlie Butts in *Escape from Alcatraz* serves a narrative purpose, adding tension and emotion to the story of a prisoner's mission to escape. His portrayal as a nervous and hesitant inmate highlights the risks and sacrifices involved in the daring escape plan.
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Butts' relationship with Doc
In the 1979 film Escape from Alcatraz, Charlie Butts is a fictionalized version of Allan West, an inmate who took part in the escape plan but was unable to get out of his cell until the other three had left the island. Charlie Butts is a more intriguing character in the film. He is part of the plot to escape, but he ultimately gets cold feet and puts off joining the escape until it's too late.
Charlie Butts first meets Frank Morris when he arrives at Alcatraz Island in early 1960. Morris is a prisoner with an exceptional IQ who has escaped from other prisons. Butts enthusiastically agrees with Morris's plan to escape, but he has trouble with the elaborate preparations. On the night of the escape, he appears to panic and fails to rendezvous with the other inmates, forcing them to go on without him.
In the film, Butts has a close relationship with Doc, an elderly inmate who paints portraits and grows chrysanthemums, which he sees as a symbol of human spirit and freedom. Doc is a kind and gentle man, in contrast to the cruel and petty Warden. The Warden takes away Doc's painting privileges because he dislikes a painting Doc made of him, which captures the ugliness of his cruel nature. In response, Doc cuts off several of his own fingers with a hatchet, a protest based on a real incident at Alcatraz.
When Doc loses his painting privileges, Butts is one of the inmates who supports him. Butts places a chrysanthemum in the Alcatraz Dining Hall in honor of Doc, but the Warden crushes it, causing another inmate, Litmus, to have a fatal heart attack. This incident further motivates Butts and the others to escape from Alcatraz.
Overall, Butts and Doc share a common desire for freedom and dignity within the harsh and oppressive environment of Alcatraz. They support each other in their own ways, and their stories are intertwined in the film's portrayal of the emotional impact of the escape attempt.
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Frequently asked questions
The warden allowed Charley Butts to paint because he did not know that Butts was painting. Inmates were allowed to paint, and Butts's cellmate, Frank Morris, only discovers his painting skills when he sees a portrait of himself in Butts's cell.
The warden took away Butts's painting privileges because he was enraged to discover that Butts had painted a portrait of him that captured his cruel nature.
After having his painting privileges revoked, Butts cut off several of his fingers with a hatchet.
