Castle on the Hudson (1940)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Anatole Litvak

Writers:

Lewis E. Lawes (book)
Seton I. Miller (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

17 February 1940 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot:

Mobster Tommy Gordon isn't worried about being sentenced to Sing Sing prison because his political pals have promised him a quick parole...

Plot Keywords:

Prison | Warden | Self Defense | Self Sacrifice | Rehabilitation

Cast

John Garfield	...	Tommy Gordon
Ann Sheridan	...	Kay Manners
Pat O'Brien	...	Warden Walter Long
Burgess Meredith	...	Steve Rockford
Henry O'Neill	...	District Attorney
Jerome Cowan	...	Ed Crowley
Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams	...	Mike Cagle
John Litel	...	Prison Chaplain
Margot Stevenson	...	Ann Rockford
Willard Robertson	...	Detective Ragan
Edward Pawley	...	Black Jack 'Blackie'
Billy Wayne	...	Pete, Gangster Arranging Passage
Nedda Harrigan	...	Mrs. Long
Wade Boteler	...	'Mac', the Principal Keeper
Barbara Pepper	...	Goldie

Also Known As:

Years Without Days (UK)

Runtime:

77 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:G (TV rating) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #5575) | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Sing Sing Penitentiary - 354 Hunter Street, Ossining, New York, USA

Company:

Anatole Litvak Productions

Trivia:

A partially obscured theater marquee in an opening scene of MGMs "Tenth Avenue Angel" from 1948 is for "Castle on the Hudson" starring John Garfield, Ann Sheridan and Pat O'Brien. "Castle" was originally released in 1940 by Warner Bros. but re-released in 1949, so it kind of receives an advance re-release plug, albeit a quick one, in a rival studio's film.

Goofs:

Continuity: Near the end of the film, just before Mike Cagle is executed, the Warden is looking at the list of death row inmates and checks off the name spelled Mike Kagel.

Movie Connections:

Version of 20,000 Years in Sing Sing (1932)

Soundtrack:

You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby

Well directed prison drama.

Anatole Litvak directs this remake of 20,000 YEARS IN SING SING. Very faithful to the original starring Spenser Tracy. Tommy Gordon (John Garfield) is a mobster with a super ego. He does not worry about his prison sentence, because he figures his connections on the outside will make his 'time in the can' easier. Enter the stern, but kind hearted warden (Pat O'Brien) and the stand by her man girlfriend (Ann Sheridan)and we have the typical players of a basic prison drama.

Garfield plays the role with more attitude than Tracy did. Also starring are Burgess Meredith, Henry O'Neill, Guinn Williams and Jerome Cowan. Hard to notice any change in script from the first version eight years earlier. Very good opener for a Litvak double header that also features CONFESSIONS of a NAZI SPY.