Escape From Alcatraz, Clint Eastwood's tense 1979 prison drama, has become available to stream on Paramount+ as of 1 August, nearly 47 years after its cinema release. The film is widely regarded as one of the finest entries in the prison-drama genre, ranking alongside The Shawshank Redemption in critical esteem, and its arrival on streaming gives modern audiences fresh access to a genre classic.

Directed by Don Siegel, one of five collaborations between him and Eastwood, the 112-minute film dramatises the real-life escape of bank robber Frank Morris from the notorious Alcatraz penitentiary, based on J. Campbell Bruce's 1963 non-fiction book. It grossed more than $40 million on release, making it one of the highest-earning prison films of its era, and features a supporting cast including Patrick McGoohan, Fred Ward, Jack Thibeau and Larry Hankin, alongside the feature debut of Danny Glover.