Antonius Block One of the biggest draws of this movie is that it features a couple of legends, Spencer Tracy and Bette Davis, a little bit before they hit it big. Tracy plays a big-time criminal who is imprisoned, and Davis is his girlfriend waiting for him on the outside. Both turn in good performances, with Tracy in particular playing the scenes in which he's called upon to be aggressive well. Partially filmed on location in Sing Sing, director Michael Curtiz does a good job of making use of the setting and varying his camera angles. I loved how he superimposed the number of years the convicts had served while they were walking around at the beginning and end of the film. As for the story, I have to say, it goes beyond plausibility at times relative to how respectfully the inmates are treated. Real life Sing Sing warden Lewis E. Lawes had creative control over the movie, and that may have played a role in that. I liked how there is a sense of honor from both the screen warden (Arthur Byron) and Tracy's character, even though they are on different sides of the law. I also liked the touching simplicity of some of the scenes on death row towards the end. It's not a great film, but it's certainly watchable, and good stuff.

grantss A decent prison drama.Starts well enough: a hard-bitten criminal slowly fits into prison life. You see his transformation and think of all the possibilities for the plot beyond that.However, the direction the plot then takes is a tad implausible, idealistic and trite. Turns out its all about honour. Not necessarily a bad theme, but is handled fairly clumsily here.Ending just seemed unnecessary. No, I'm not saying all endings should be a happy, typically-Hollywood, one, but this just seems...contrived.Solid performances by Spencer Tracy, Bette Davis and Arthur Byron.

PWNYCNY This movie may have been released decades ago but its theme resonates today. Although the story is presented in a stagy and melodramatic manner, that in no way negates its power as a tragedy. The movie depicts the wasting of human potential. It's about pent up anger that distorts one's conduct. It's about the institutionalization and dehumanization of the individual. The social message is clear: anyone who winds up in prison is doomed. The principal character, Tommy O'Connor, played by Spencer Tracy, symbolizes all the troubled, angry, alienated and damaged people for whom the only solution is incarceration. Betty Davis plays his loyal girlfriend. Yet, as the movie so aptly shows, even someone deemed incorrigible is capable of acting responsibly and even honorably if treated with compassion. Tracy gives a convincing performance as a cynical and hard-bitten gangster who redeems himself, but at a high cost. To find out what that high cost entails, watch the movie.

marko-157 This is a story about good-hearted crook Tommy Connors (Spencer Tracy), the warden of the prison he's in (Arthur Byron) and his girlfriend Fay Wilson (Bette Davis) in that order of importance. The warden agenda of order and fair treatment initially brings him in conflict with Tommy, but after Tommy realizes there is no other way, they get along much better. Warden even lets him to visit Fay in distress, which has fatal consequences.The whole film is an ambitious attempt to describe situation in prisons, relations between inmates and the system and between inmates and beloved ones outside the prison. It indeed gives us insight into this issues, however the story lacks coherence. Because of poor screenplay and uninventive direction we are just jumping between different scenes. Furthermore, even after I watched corresponding scenes several times, I still do not get what exactly happened to Fay and what was her real medical state.The only character that displays considerable inner feelings is well described by Spencer Tracy's fine acting. But I miss more depth from other two main characters. Bette Davis is pale portraying Fay, which is - to my amazement - presented as a refined girl. Despite Bette Davis does know how to make something even from seemingly minor characters, like the character of Arlene in largely underestimated film Fog over Frisco (1934), there is simply nothing seriously to act. Fortunately, she fought hard for better roles and showed us her abilities in later films. The rest of the crew is easily recognized as a standard reliable Warner Bros troupe which almost invisibly slips from one film to another.It is worth watching Spencer Tracy in his early acting role (not so for Bette Davis) and for the objective review of prison life in 1930s. Even if this does not seems much, I think a good film lover should see it for a record.