Michael_Elliott Seven Miles to Alcatraz (1942)** 1/2 (out of 4) Silly but entertaining "B" picture about a couple cons (James Craig, Frank Jenks) who break out of Alcatraz just after the Pearl Harbor bombing. They end up taking a group hostage at a lighthouse but their problems grow even bigger when it's discovered that Nazis are about to use a sub to sink San Francisco. If you're looking for logic then I'd recommend staying away from this film but if you have an hour to kill and want some cheap fun then I'm sure you'll get a kick out of this thing. This is a pretty wild little story even though the main moral is to preach that Americans, no matter what their profession, should stick up for their country and bring down the enemy. What really makes the film so funny are a few scenes where Craig gets to make fun of Hitler, which while it's not Chaplin, it was still pretty funny. Even funnier are the Nazis here who are so over the top that you can't help but laugh. The female Nazi and her crush on Hitler and her anger when people make fun of his is rather priceless. Director Dmytryk would certainly go onto do bigger and better pictures but he manages to keep the film moving at a fast pace and he even gets a few nice shots in including a very nice one when the men first get out of the water and reach land. The entire story is pretty far fetched and the way the men escape and how easy they swim to shore is even sillier. As far as the performances go, none of them are great but they're at least entertaining with Craig and Jenks both fitting their roles just fine. Former Nancy Drew's Bonita Granville isn't too bad in her role even if it is a thankless one. Again, if you want a smart WWII pic then this here isn't for you but if you want some cheap action then you'll want to check this one out.

blanche-2 James Craig and Frank Jenks escape "Seven Miles from Alcatraz" in this 1942 propaganda film also starring Bonita Granville and John Banner.Champ and Jimbo (Craig and Jenks) escape from Alcatraz, as the title says, and manage to get to a lighthouse. They walk into an interesting situation. One of the employees is on the side of the Nazis and feeding messages to the Germans about a submarine - it seems the Germans are trying to invade San Francisco. When they realize what's happening, the crooks and the people at the lighthouse band together, as the Nazis themselves show up.Bonita Granville marvelously underplays, very different for her, and lets James Craig overplay, not only his role, but the narration as well, with every single line reading in the same snide voice and every character action indicated beforehand. Jenks is good as the sidekick, and it's great to see "Hogan's Heroes" star John Banner young and good-looking as one of the Nazis.These films were important to the war effort, and this one demonstrates that even criminals were willing to put their own needs aside to fight their country. One of the Hollywood Ten, director Edward Dmytryk was responsible for "The Caine Mutiny," "Broken Lance," and "Crossfire," but also only mediocre such as "The Left Hand of God" and "Soldier of Fortune" and downright schlock such as "Where Love Has Gone" and "The Carpetbaggers." You never really knew what you were going to get with him. I'd say in this case, he did his best with what he had as far as story and cast. And it moves pretty quickly.

whpratt1 Liked the title to this film because of the fact I like stories that have something to do with Alcatraz the "Rock" and this was a great film from 1942 concerning some convicts who manage to escape from the prison. These convicts escape to a light house island with several civilians, a few men and one woman named Ann Porter, (Bonita Granville) and Champ Larkin, (James Craig). These convicts do not realize that they have found themselves in a very difficult situation at this lighthouse and are not fully aware that World War II is going on and that Nazi forces are trying to invade San Francisco by submarine. There is secret messages being transmitted by Morse Code back and forth to the enemy sub and these convicts begin to find out just what is happening to them and the other civilians. This is a good Classic 1942 film with great direction and a very excellent story. Enjoy.

funkyfry Two convicts manage to escape from Alcatraz (they won't tell us how: "trade secrets") and make it to a lighthouse island just off the coast, where they hold 3 men and a woman (Granville) hostage. Luckily for them, the soldier they kill turns out to be a Nazi spy, as they discover when his compatriots arrive in a boat -- just what the 2 convicts need to escape, if they're willing to deal with the Nazis and let them escape with maps of the San Francisco municipal/military works.Exciting action, some moments of genuine humor, and likeable, human characters make this propaganda pill an easy one to swallow.