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

Writers:

Robert E. Burns (book), Michael Campus

Stars:

Val Kilmer, Charles Durning, Sonia Braga

1 win & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Val Kilmer	...	Robert Eliot Burns / Eliot Roberts
Charles Durning	...	Warden Hardy
Sonia Braga	...	Emily Del Pino Pacheco
Kyra Sedgwick	...	Lillian Salo
James Keach	...	Father Vincent Godfrey Burns
Elisha Cook Jr.	...	Pappy Glue
Clancy Brown	...	Flagg
William Sanderson	...	Trump
Taj Mahal	...	Bones
Taylor Presnell	...	George Seales
Paul Benjamin	...	Big Sam
Bill Bolender	...	Rayford
Esther Benson	...	Mother Burns
Burt Conway	...	Father Burns
Charles Carroll	...	Hobo #1

Storyline

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...

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Plot Keywords:

chain gang | world war one | flogging | bare chested male | corporal punishment | 

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 October 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der Mann, der 1000 Ketten sprengte

Filming Locations:

Jefferson, Texas, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Home Box Office (HBO)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Last film of Eilsha Cook Jr.

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Connections

Version of I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)

User Reviews

Good, solid remake of the Paul Muni classic

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.