I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)

Synopsis: After returning home from World War I, James Allen, played to the teeth by theater veteran Paul Muni, dreams of becoming an engineeer but instead can only find employment in a shoe factory. After... After returning home from World War I, James Allen, played to the teeth by theater veteran Paul Muni, dreams of becoming an engineeer but instead can only find employment in a shoe factory. After leaving this job, Allen becomes a penniless vagabond, unable even to hawk his war medals. But when Allen witnesses another man commit a crime, he is mistakenly committed to 10 years on a Georgia chain gang, where he is cruelly beaten by the sadistic guards. With the help of a fellow inmate, Allen escapes to pursue his dream of becoming an engineer. Unfortunately, the awful past lies in wait, preparing to return Allen to misery. I AM A FUGITIVE FROM A CHAIN GANG was one of the first talkies to foment for social change and justice. At the same time, the purity of the script and the actors' performances give it a place among the most depressing films ever made. In spite of its dour message, the film was a huge box-office success, won an Oscar for Best Picture, and continues to be revered to this day. [More]

Starring: Paul Muni, Glenda Farrell, Helen Vinson, Preston Foster

Starring: Paul Muni, Glenda Farrell, Helen Vinson, Preston Foster, Allen Jenkins, Berton Churchill, Edward Ellis, Edward J. Macnamara, John Wray, Hale Hamilton, Harry Woods

Director: Mervyn LeRoy

Director: Mervyn LeRoy
Screenwriter: Howard J. Green, Brown Holmes, Sheridan Gibney
Producer: Hal B. Wallis

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