I AM A FUGITIVE FROM A CHAIN GANG

US, 1932, 90 minutes, Black and white.
Paul Muni, Glenda Farrell, Helen Vinson, Preston Foster.
Directed by Mervyn Le Roy.

I Am A Fugitive From A Chain Gang has become a classic prison film. Made in the early '30s, it was a popular indictment of the chain gang system of use of convicts. (other films of the time include Todd Browning's Hell's Highway.)

The film shows the qualities developed in film-making in the transition from silent film to sound. Direction is by Mervyn Le Roy who was to make a number of hard-hitting films at Warners in the '30s and move to for lavishly-mounted dramas in the '40s and '50s. Paul Muni, who was to emerge as the lead character actor at Warners (Oscar in 1936 for The Story of Louis Pasteur), is persuasive in the central role.

The film shaped the traditions for subsequent prison films ranging from women's prison films like Caged to the Paul Newman vehicle Cool Hand Luke. The grim ending is still surprising.

1. The status of the film as a classic? Its impact in its time? Relevance to prison systems, American society, the Depression, victimisation, state governments and corruption?

2. Black and white photography? The fluid camera work and the location photography? The atmosphere of post-World War one America, the small towns, the work situations, the prisons, affluent Chicago? Editing and pace? The musical score? The familiar conventions of the prison film - in their originality?


3. The hard-hitting title? The focus on the central character of James Allen? His status as a fugitive? The horror of the Chain gang? The true significance of the title from the final frame?

4. The portrait of James Allen as an ordinary American citizen? The experience of serving his country in World War One? The good humour of the return from war? The hopes of the men? Better jobs? The hero's return home? The possibility of a job? On the road searching for things better? The hard times for the veterans in the '20s? The frame-up at the diner and the police taking Allen? His quick conviction? The 10-year sentenced hard labour? The judge's gavel transferring to breaking rocks in the chain gang? The experience of the chain gang? Hard work, hardship, the chains, the fellow convicts -the brutality of the guards? The effect on Allen? The plan to escape? The old man helping him? The black man breaking his chains? The escape, the dogs, finding clothes on the clothesline, hiding under the water - even seeing the legs of the pursuers? The freeing of Barney, the help of the girlfriend, getting on the train? His new life? Finding work, his skill at engineering? A respected citizen? Marle offering him the room? Her hold over him? Her discovery of the truth, the marriage, her taking the money, betraying him? The invitation to speak at the convention? His arrest? The Illinois protest? The anonymous state and its giving its word for a pardon, going back on its word? The sentence to the chain gang, the hardship, the refusal of the pardon, the build-up to the new escape, the dramatic chase, the death of his old friend? Hiding out? Seeing Alice furtively and then having to run? His life ruined? The ordinary man, the victim? A man of integrity? His relationship with his mother, brother, Marie, Alice? The drama of the final shot with Allen still on the run?

5. The war situation, the veterans returning, the lack of work, discrimination? Suspicion and arrest? The prison system? The lack of appeal? The chain gang and its brutality, early rising, being pushed around by the wardens, the beatings, the bad food, the hard work, the need for permissions even to wipe sweat away, the late return, the dormitories? Full-time imprisonment without relief? The need for exposure of this kind of prison slavery? The cover-ups by politicians and the management of the prisons?

6. The sketch of Jim's mother and her concern, letting her son go to find himself? His brother, the clerical manner of speaking, the continued support, the bringer of bad news? Alice and the possibility of the future life? The support of the various officials in Chicago?

7. The world of crime, the hold-up at the diner, the murder? The brutal wardens, the brutal officials? Alarie and her being on the take, her hold over Jim, her betraying him?

8. The sketch of the various prisoners, black and white, Barney and his freedom and later helping Jim, the man who was ill and died, the old man that Jim. met and escaped with?

9. Social themes of the '30s? Their relevance at the time? Continued relevance?