Escape from Alcatraz

Character mistake: In the scene where the warden gives Frank the rules of Alcatraz. The warden states that prisoners do not get to see newspapers or magazines. Later when Frank distributes reading material from the Library to D block, he offers the prisoners books or magazines. One prisoner is seen taking a magazine to read.

Factual error: In the opening scene that shows San Francisco scenery there is a shot of a large TV tower called Sutro Tower. The film takes place in 1960 and Sutro Tower wasn't built until 1973.

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Prison Guard: Your painting privileges have been removed.
Doc: Why?
Prison Guard: I don't know.

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Trivia: Fred Ward, who played John Anglin in this film, would later go on to play a character in Naked Gun 33 1/3rd who escapes from prison as well.

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Question: When Frank is delivering books to inmates' cells, he reaches D block, but a guard stops him, and tells him they are not allowed in those cells. Were books really disallowed in D block cells?

Answer: Those were the solitary confinement cells, with no light and no luxuries of any kind. So yes, they did not allow inmates on that block to have books.

This is inaccurate as a light in each cell was turned on at 6:30 every morning in solitary confinement at Alcatraz.

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