Released – November, 1932 

Directed By - Mervyn LeRoy

Starring – Paul Muni (James Allen), Glenda Farrell (Marie Woods), Helen Vinson (Helen), Noel Francis (Linda), Preston Foster (Pete).

Description – James Allen has been wrongly convicted of a crime and sentenced to 10 years on a chaing gang. He manages to escape to Chicago hoping to remain undetected.

James finds success in the construction business and begins a relationship with boardinghouse proprietor Marie Woods. Marie learns of his secret and blackmails him into marriage. With unhappiness back into his life, James gets lucky and meet and falls in love with Helen.

However, his luck does not last long. James asks Marie for a divorce only to be promptly betrayed by her to the authorities. The only life left for James is alone and on the run.

NOTABLE: This film was nominated for three Academy Awards; Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role, and Best Sound, Recording.

In 1991 this motion picture was selected for inclusion in the United States National Film Registry.

The film was written by Howard J. Green and Brown Holmes from Robert Elliott Burns’s autobiography, I Am a Fugitive from a Georgia Chain Gang.

Personal Comment:  An excellent film with a haunting ending that still stuns today. The brutality of a corrupt court, as portrayed in this film, caused such public concern regarding the legitimacy of America’s legal system that it allowed for a number of nationwide chain gang prisoners to appeal their convictions and gain release.

I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang

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October, 1932 - Talented actor Paul Muni seemingly had proved his worth to Fox with his 1929 debut in The Valiant as well as later that year with a seven character portrayal in Seven Faces. However, Fox decided to let the actor go where he appeared next in the Broadway hit Counselor-at-Law. 

It was after his Broadway success that Director Howard Hawks decided to cast Muni as the lead in the Warner classic gangster film Scarface, loosely based on real-life gangster Al Capone. The film and Muni's performance were loved by audiences.

Later that same year Paul Muni again starred for Warner Brothers in the acclaimed hit I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang based on the harrowing autobiographical experiences of Robert E. Burns.

Fox's loss was a huge gain for Warner Brothers and for actor Paul Muni who now had a contract that allowed him to approve his own material.

Released - April, 1932 

Directed By - Howard Hawks, Richard Rosson

Starring – Paul Muni (Antonio ‘Tony’ Camonte), Ann Dvorak (Francesca ‘Cesca’ Camonte), Karen Morley (Poppy), Osgood Perkins (John ‘Johnny’ Lovo), C. Henry Gordon (Inspector Ben Guarino), George Raft (Guino Rinaldo), Boris Karloff (Gaffney).

Description - A classic gangster film with a simple premise. Rival gangs fighting over control of the city. Gangster Tony Camonte is looking to rise to the top of his profession, and it’s doesn’t hurt that he happens to be insanely violent.

In the world of organized crime, be careful what you ask for. Tony’s ruthless ambition has the police breathing down his neck and has resulted in strong dissatisfaction among the other crime bosses.

In addition, Tony’s overprotected sister Cesca is looking to become more independent and may have taken up with another gangster.

NOTABLE: In 1994 this film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.

The movie is based loosely on the life of Al Capone who liked the film so much he had his own print. As much as he enjoyed the similarities, it was rumored that some of Capone’s men visited writer Ben Hect to be sure the story wasn’t too close to real life.

Disturbed by the violence and the possibility of glamorizing a gangster the Hays Office demanded a rewrite of the script. In defiance, Producer Howard Hughes ordered Director Howard Hawks to shoot the film as realistic and grisly as possible.

The filming was cursed by several accidents; one of which was the accidental shooting with live ammunition of comedian Harold Lloyd’s brother Gaylord who lost an eye.

Look for the letter ‘X’ to be prominently used whenever a murder takes place.

This was one of the first films to feature the use of a ‘tommy gun,’ the Thompson Machine Gun.

This motion picture is rated #6 in AFI’s 10 Greatest Gangster Films.

Personal Comment: If you are a fan of the Crime/Gangster genre this film is a must. Along with Little Caesar, The Public Enemy, and The Roaring Twenties, the years 1931 and 1932 were the year of the gangster.

In 1983 Brian De Palma remade Scarface with Al Pacino and the film went on to become a cult favorite.

Scarface (Universal Cinema Classics)

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