Review of I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932) by Bob W — 30 Mar 2014
The title says it all: Paul Muni is wrongly convicted of a crime and sentenced to the chain gang, an incredibly brutal and unfair form of punishment, from which he subsequently escapes. Using skills he learned in the army during WWI, he builds himself a career as a civil engineer and rises to prominence - until he is betrayed (as is, of course, inevitable).
After a creaky start, director Mervyn Le Roy keeps things hopping along, laying out the clichés that would mark all future depictions of the chain gang, including musically. Warner Brothers subsequently built their image on this kind of social problem picture, crusading against injustice, and was sued by the state of Georgia for the effort.
A tough and gritty '30s prison flick.
This review of I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932) was written by Bob W on 30 Mar 2014.
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang has generally received very positive reviews.
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