I will confess that I didn't understand it when I first saw it as a lot happens in the film, and I have now seen it three times. I seriously hope, that those who ignored the film when it was first released now recognize it as a great film, as it really is. The dialogue was extremely well-written, with lines that really stick in your mind. The cinematography and music are both gorgeous, and the prison itself is like a character that dominates the film. The Warden was especially good as were the other actors. IMDB rates this too low. It should be 9-10.