"I Am A Fugitive From A Chain Gang" with Paul Muni and Preston Foster (1932)

This is the movie made from the true account, “I Am A Fugitive From A Georgia Chain Gang”; written by Robert E. Burns; of his experience after coming home from the First World War. Arrested for a crime he did not commit, he escaped the notorious chain gang, becoming a renowned architect in the process. But his success came to an abrupt end when his ex-wife turned him in as a fugitive.  At that point he was promised  his full freedom if he would return to Georgia to serve a token 90 day sentence. His acceptance of that offer necessitated a second escape in the 1930's. He would  then live in hiding, residing in New Jersey,  until his pardon by Georgia in 1945.

The only difference between the movie and the real life story is the ending. The movie was made in 1932, a full 13 years before he would be pardoned.  In reality, the character of James Allen, played by Paul Muni, is the author Robert Burns. The name change was for the purpose of dramatization; as if the story of a man wrongfully imprisoned at hard labor needs to be dramatized.

This is the mother of all chain gang movies, including “Cool Hand Luke”. The escape scene in that film, in which Luke takes the road crews dump truck, using the back as a bulletproof shield, is taken from this film.

Rich with some of the finest character actors of the time, this film is a true classic. It underscores the brutality of the old Chain Gang system, in which men were treated no better than slaves, often hired out to perform work for which money was being paid to corrupt prison officials.  This film still has it all, even after 80 years.  And, in many ways the film is still relevant, given the increase in "contract" private prisons over the last few years.

On June 10, 2011  I reviewed the book “I Am A Fugitive From the Georgia Chain Gang”  by Robert E. Burns. You can view that post here; http://robertwilliamsofbrooklyn.blogspot.com/2011/06/i-am-fugitive-from-georgia-chain-gang.html

"Kansas City Confidential" with John Payne, Preston Foster and Lee Van Cleef

This is pure film noir, with all of the usual shady characters, a sinister plot and even a cheesy love interest, played by Coleen Gray as the daughter of one of the principal characters. Shot, of course, in black and white by director Phil Karlson, this 1952 release was in the last wave of the genre and still stands the test of time.

A masked man summons three others, one by one, to his hotel room in order to propose a crime, in which all four will share the proceeds. One catch; no one but the masked man knows who the others are. He then assists them in the hijacking of some money from an armored car, using a vehicle which is identical to that of a local florist, and driven by an ex-con. The police immediately apprehend the driver for the crime, assuming that he is guilty. While he is being beaten, in an attempt to gain his confession, he realizes that he is being framed. Moreover, he believes that he knows who it is.

Meanwhile, the alliance between the 4 actual robbers, of whom only one knows all the identities of the rest, is beginning to unravel, as mistrust and greed begin to set in. When one member unwittingly falls for the daughter of another, things heat up even more as the film ticks towards the inevitable conclusion of double cross, and in some sense, justice.

A remarkable film made at the tail end of the film noir genre, it still has that gritty quality that makes it the little gem that it is. Well preserved, with a crisp picture and clear audio, this is a surprisingly good film.