I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang

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I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang

1932,

1h 33m,

Drama

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96%

28 Reviews

Tomatometer

91%

2,500+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

96%

Tomatometer

28 Reviews

91%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

Jaded World War I veteran James Allen (Paul Muni) dreams of creating a new life, but those dreams are shattered when he is implicated in a robbery and sentenced to 10 years on a chain gang. The brutal prison conditions compel James to break out and flee to Chicago, where he assumes a new identity and, over time, becomes a successful businessman. His freedom and happiness are threatened, however, when his scheming landlady (Glenda Farrell) discovers his secret and threatens to blackmail him.

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Don Druker

Chicago Reader

Feb 10, 2012

Based on a true story, its style is simple, direct, forceful -- even after more than six decades.

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Variety Staff

Variety

Oct 18, 2008

I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang is a picture with guts. It grips with its stark realism and packs lots of punch.

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Kim Newman

Empire Magazine

Jun 2, 2006

4/5

Suprisingly no-holds-barred portrait of institutional bullying for such an early film.

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Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

Sep 8, 2022

7/10

Its material of social denouncement about the injustices of the penal system is powerful and moving to me due to the caliber performance of Paul Muni. [Full review in Spanish]

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Harry Alan Potamkin

Close Up

May 26, 2021

For all its insufficiencies, I am a Fugitive is an advance in American film-content and to that extent its form is shaped.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

May 5, 2021

3/4

...mostly captivating...

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Albus R

Dec 27, 2013

1972's The Godfather Is My Fourth Favorite Film Of All Time And 1994's Pulp Fiction Is My Seventh Favorite Film Of All Time As Well.

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Han S

Dec 3, 2012

1001 movies to see before you die. Great for its day, but you can see why it was so good. It certainly raises awareness about mistreatment in the prison system.

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Poe P

Oct 15, 2012

I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang is a classic, highly influential prison drama with an unforgettable turn from superb Paul Muni in the main role. The film has somewhat underutilized supporting characters, but the protagonist surely is great. The story is very powerful and especially important for its time period, the pre-noir elements are evident and the ending of course is iconic. It's an especially gritty film for its time and it remains a riveting piece of filmmaking throughout.

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Leia S

Aug 10, 2010

Way better than I was expecting from a film made in 1932!

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Mervyn LeRoy

Director

Paul Muni

James Allen

Glenda Farrell

Marie Woods

Helen Vinson

Helen

Preston Foster

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Edward Ellis

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Synopsis

Jaded World War I veteran James Allen (Paul Muni) dreams of creating a new life, but those dreams are shattered when he is implicated in a robbery and sentenced to 10 years on a chain gang. The brutal prison conditions compel James to break out and flee to Chicago, where he assumes a new identity and, over time, becomes a successful businessman. His freedom and happiness are threatened, however, when his scheming landlady (Glenda Farrell) discovers his secret and threatens to blackmail him.

Director: Mervyn LeRoy
Producer: Hal B. Wallis
Screenwriter: Robert E. Burns, Howard J. Green, Brown Holmes
Distributor: Key Video, Warner Bros., MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.
Production Co: Warner Brothers, The Vitaphone Corporation
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 19, 1932, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2009
Runtime: 1h 33m
Sound Mix: Mono

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