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I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932) 8.0
Wrongly convicted James Allen serves in the intolerable conditions of a southern chain gang, which later comes back to haunt him. Director:Mervyn LeRoy |
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Title: I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Paul Muni | ... | ||
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Glenda Farrell | ... |
Marie
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Helen Vinson | ... | |
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Noel Francis | ... | |
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Preston Foster | ... | |
| Allen Jenkins | ... |
Barney Sykes
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Berton Churchill | ... |
The Judge
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Edward Ellis | ... |
Bomber Wells
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David Landau | ... |
The Warden
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Hale Hamilton | ... |
Rev. Allen, James' Brother
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Sally Blane | ... |
Alice
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Louise Carter | ... |
James Allen's Mother
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Willard Robertson | ... |
Prison Board Chairman
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Robert McWade | ... |
Ramsey
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Robert Warwick | ... |
Fuller
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
Having returned from fighting in World War I, James Allen doesn't want to settle into a humdrum life and decides to set off to find his fortune. He travels the length and breadth of America, working as a skilled tradesman in the construction industry. When times get tough however, he finds himself living in a shelter where an acquaintance suggests they go out for a hamburger. What the friend really has in mind is to rob the diner and Allen soon finds himself working on a chain gang with a long jail sentence. Allen manages to escape however and heads to Chicago where over several years he slowly but surely works his way up the ladder to become one of the most respected construction engineers in the city. His past catches up with him and despite protestations from civic leaders and his many friends in Chicago, he finds himself again on the chain gang. Escaping for a second time, he accepts that to survive, he must lead a life of crime. Written by garykmcd
Plot Keywords:
chain gang | hamburger | tradesman | character's journey shown on map | reverend |Taglines:
Six sticks of dynamite that blasted his way to freedom... and awoke America's conscience!Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
19 November 1932 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
I Am a Fugitive See more »Filming Locations:
Bronson Caves, Bronson Canyon, Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA See more »Box Office
Budget:
$195,845 (estimated)Company Credits
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Technical Specs
Runtime:
| (Turner library print)Sound Mix:
Mono (original release)Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
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(1888) (uncredited)
Music by John Philip Sousa
Played during parade
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Did You Know?
Trivia
The final fade came as an accident. Director Mervyn LeRoy had planned to go to a blackout after the final line. During rehearsals, a light blew, taking the fuse with it. The resultant slow fade, starting just before the final line, was so powerful that Leroy decided to shoot the film exactly that way. See more »Goofs
When James Allen is getting a shave he asks the barber for a hot towel and when he does this the left side of his face is covered in shaving cream. When the barber returns with the towel the left side of his face has no shaving cream on it. See more »Soundtracks
"Semper Fidelis"(1888) (uncredited)
Music by John Philip Sousa
Played during parade
See more »
Since the movie ends somewhat abruptly, I was interested in what happened to this character in real life, so I did some research. For those interested, read on:
The man, whose real name was Burns, lived quite awhile in New Jersey, wrote the book with this same title, even smuggled himself into Los Angeles for two weeks to help with the movie, using an assumed name and acting very skittish. He then went back to New Jersey. The state of Georgia, home of these chain gangs, tried to extradite him but New Jersey wouldn't give him up.
Regarding the film........
"Powerful" was a word describing this movie when it came out over 70 years ago, and it still holds true today. It was based on a true story and if injustice bothers you, this film will be disturbing. It certainly was to me, at least the first time I saw it.
I've seen it several times and am always mesmerized by Paul Muni's performance. Just the expressions on his face alone are fascinating. The other members of the cast are so-so, but it's Muni's movie anyway.