The Man Who Broke 1,000 Chains (TV 1987)The true story of Robert Elliot Burns, the prisoner who, after being sentenced to a Georgia chain gang, attempted two daring escapes. Director:Daniel Mann |
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The Man Who Broke 1,000 Chains (TV 1987)The true story of Robert Elliot Burns, the prisoner who, after being sentenced to a Georgia chain gang, attempted two daring escapes. Director:Daniel Mann |
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| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Val Kilmer | ... |
Robert Eliot Burns /
Eliot Roberts
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| Charles Durning | ... |
Warden Hardy
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| Sonia Braga | ... |
Emily Del Pino Pacheco
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| Kyra Sedgwick | ... |
Lillian Salo
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| James Keach | ... |
Father Vincent Godfrey Burns
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| Elisha Cook Jr. | ... |
Pappy Glue
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| Clancy Brown | ... |
Flagg
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| William Sanderson | ... |
Trump
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Taj Mahal | ... |
Bones
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Taylor Presnell | ... |
George Seales
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Paul Benjamin | ... |
Big Sam
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Bill Bolender | ... |
Rayford
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Esther Benson | ... |
Mother Burns
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Burt Conway | ... |
Father Burns
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| Charles Carroll | ... |
Hobo #1
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A veteran of World War I returns to the United States but cannot find his place in the society. For a small robbery he is condemned to ten years of prison... Written by Volker Boehm
Nicely cast, well-directed film, and a fitting "last hurrah" for the magnificent character actor Elisha Cook Jr, who plays Kilmer's aging mentor on the chain gang. Cook, best remembered for his portrayal of "Wilmer" (the cheap little gunsel) in THE MALTESE FALCON, does his usual superb supporting work.
KIlmer does a fine job, not falling into the obvious trap of going "over the top" -- which might be an understandable portrayal if this were fiction, but Kilmer's (like Muni's) somewhat subdued performance is much more in keeping with the real-life character's personality. Both versions drive me a bit nuts because I keep wanting him to kill his wife, who turned him in out of pure vindictiveness.