| Photos (see all 10 | slideshow) | Videos (see all 3) |
| Paul Muni | ... | James Allen | |
| Glenda Farrell | ... | Marie Woods | |
| Helen Vinson | ... | Helen | |
| Noel Francis | ... | Linda | |
| Preston Foster | ... | Pete | |
| Allen Jenkins | ... | Convict Barney Sykes | |
| Berton Churchill | ... | The Judge | |
| Edward Ellis | ... | Convict Bomber Wells | |
| David Landau | ... | The Warden | |
| Hale Hamilton | ... | Reverend Robert Allen | |
| Sally Blane | ... | Alice | |
| Louise Carter | ... | Mother Allen | |
| Willard Robertson | ... | Prison Board Chairman | |
| Robert McWade | ... | Attorney F.E. Ramsey | |
| Robert Warwick | ... | Fuller | |
| William Le Maire | ... | The Texan (as William LeMaire) | |
| rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Edward Arnold | ... | Lawyer (scenes deleted) | |
| Harry Holman | ... | Sheriff of Monroe (scenes deleted) | |
| William Janney | ... | Sheriff's Son (scenes deleted) | |
| Roscoe Karns | ... | Steve (scenes deleted) | |
| Walter Long | ... | Blacksmith (scenes deleted) | |
| Dewey Robinson | ... | Blacksmith (scenes deleted) | |
| Russell Simpson | ... | Sheriff (scenes deleted) | |
| Erville Alderson | ... | Police Chief (uncredited) | |
| Irving Bacon | ... | Barber Bill (uncredited) | |
| Reginald Barlow | ... | Parker (uncredited) | |
| James Bell | ... | Convict Red (uncredited) | |
| Everett Brown | ... | Convict Sebastian T. Yale (uncredited) | |
| Frederick Burton | ... | Southern Prison Official (uncredited) | |
| Eddy Chandler | ... | Job Foreman (uncredited) | |
| Wallis Clark | ... | Chicago Lawyer (uncredited) | |
| G. Pat Collins | ... | Convict Wilson (uncredited) | |
| George Cooper | ... | Vaudevillian (uncredited) | |
| Jack Curtis | ... | Prison Guard (uncredited) | |
| Douglass Dumbrille | ... | District Attorney (uncredited) | |
| J. Frank Glendon | ... | Arresting Officer (uncredited) | |
| Lew Kelly | ... | Diner Cook (uncredited) | |
| Jack La Rue | ... | Convict Ackerman (uncredited) | |
| Edward LeSaint | ... | Chairman of Chamber of Commerce (uncredited) | |
| John Marston | ... | Prison Commissioner (uncredited) | |
| Edward McNamara | ... | Second Warden (uncredited) | |
| Charles Middleton | ... | Train Conductor (uncredited) | |
| Dennis O'Keefe | ... | Dancer at Cafe Chateau (uncredited) | |
| William Pawley | ... | Convict Doggy (uncredited) | |
| Charles Sellon | ... | Hot Dog Stand Owner (uncredited) | |
| Lee Shumway | ... | Arresting Officer (uncredited) | |
| William H. Strauss | ... | Pawnbroker (uncredited) | |
| Sheila Terry | ... | Allen's Secretary (uncredited) | |
| Fred 'Snowflake' Toones | ... | Marine On Ship (uncredited) | |
| Harry Woods | ... | Prison Guard (uncredited) | |
| John Wray | ... | Convict Nordine (uncredited) | |
Directed by | |||
| Mervyn LeRoy | |||
Writing credits | ||
| Robert E. Burns | (writer) | |
| Howard J. Green | (screenplay) & | |
| Brown Holmes | (screenplay) | |
| Sheridan Gibney | uncredited | |
Produced by | |||
| Hal B. Wallis | .... | producer (uncredited) | |
Original Music by | |||
| Bernhard Kaun | (uncredited) | ||
Cinematography by | |||
| Sol Polito | (photographed by) | ||
Film Editing by | |||
| William Holmes | |||
Art Direction by | |||
| Jack Okey | |||
Costume Design by | |||
| Orry-Kelly | (gowns) | ||
Music Department | |||
| Leo F. Forbstein | .... | conductor: Vitaphone Orchestra | |
Other crew | |||
| S.H. Sullivan | .... | technical director | |
| Robert E. Burns | .... | consultant (uncredited) | |
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| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| News articles | IMDb Crime section | IMDb USA section |
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Without a doubt, this is one of the finest films I have seen. Paul Muni's performance is so good, it's practically indescribable. I thought he was extremely believable as the unduly accused and convicted James Allen. This story will rip your heart out, and rightly so. The film is very well done in every way, down to the smallest detail (best example of this: the disgusting looking prison food if you can call it that). The use of newspaper headlines is extremely effective, as well as the very realistic scenes in the prison and work yard, and the whole environment in which Allen must live. The viewer can almost feel Allen's pain as the other inmate hammers away at his leg chains to give him a glimpse of hope toward freedom. However, even the scenes of Allen's life on the outside still evoke a sense of foreboding. This is a very powerful film.
I saw it as part of the Essentials series on Turner Classic Movies, and Robert Osborne said that the real-life protagonist on whom this film is based acted as a consultant. Since he was still on the run, however, he was not credited. The whole situation is so sad, and this sadness and feeling of oppression hang over the film with such realism, that sometimes it is as though you are watching Allen's life caught on videotape, instead of a motion picture. It is extremely gripping and downbeat, with a killer ending. The fact that it's a true story just adds to the pervasive feeling of doom. Way ahead of its time, and a brave picture to make in its indictment of the justice system. WOW.
TWO FAVORITE MOMENTS: 1) Allen looking directly at the policeman in the barbershop with a determined, steely glare, as if suddenly realizing that he will not be recognized, and simply defying the cop to recognize him. The barber doesn't recognize him either, even though the cop and barber have just been describing Allen. This scene, I am sure, meant to emphasize the incompetence of the police and justice system, without using any words to do so. Fantastically done. I am in awe.
2) Chain gang inmate Barney Sykes (played by supreme character actor Allen Jenkins), finally released from jail, is offered a ride from the prison staff, who are carting the coffin of a dead inmate off the grounds. Very matter-of-factly, as though he has done this before (and thus demonstrating the de-humanizing effects of prison life) Sykes hops up onto the back of the truck and sits right on the coffin. Upon seeing this out the window, the other inmates ruminate on the fact that there are only two ways to leave the chain gang `get let out, or die out.'
I will not give the ending away, but if it doesn't move you to tears, I don't know what will. Haunting.
My ONLY (minor) problem with the film is that all of the ladies in Allen's life look so similar, I could barely tell them apart!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!! See it.