Mrs. Soffel

Mrs. Soffel is a 1984 American drama film directed by Gillian Armstrong, starring Diane Keaton and Mel Gibson and based on the story of condemned brothers Jack and Ed Biddle, who escaped prison with the aid of Kate Soffel, the warden's wife. It was filmed on location in and around the Serez family farm in Mulmur, Ontario, as well as Wisconsin (train sequences) and establishing shots in Pittsburgh. The jail sequences were filmed in both the Allegheny County Courthouse and inside and outside of the old Allegheny County Jail for three days, and prisoners there were used as extras in the movie. The film was entered in the 35th Berlin International Film Festival. Plot Kate Soffel is the wife of a Pittsburgh prison warden in 1901. They have four children. After several months of being sick in bed for no discernible reason, she suddenly regains her strength. She visits inmates to read Bible scripture to them and meets Ed Biddle and his brother Jack, both of whom may be innocent of the crimes that brought them there. Mrs. Soffel falls in love with Ed and enables him and Jack to escape, smuggling bar-cutting blades to them at the prison. They go on the run together, with tragic results. Cast