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Prison Break

  • 1938
  • Approved
  • 1h 12m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
343
YOUR RATING
Glenda Farrell and Barton MacLane in Prison Break (1938)
CrimeDramaThriller

Joaquin Shannon arrives home from a cruise on his fishing boat. His first mate, Charles Nelson, is to marry Shannon's sister the next day. Nelson gets drunk and Shannon finds him near the un... Read allJoaquin Shannon arrives home from a cruise on his fishing boat. His first mate, Charles Nelson, is to marry Shannon's sister the next day. Nelson gets drunk and Shannon finds him near the unconscious body of a man that he, Shannon, had been fighting with previously. The man dies ... Read allJoaquin Shannon arrives home from a cruise on his fishing boat. His first mate, Charles Nelson, is to marry Shannon's sister the next day. Nelson gets drunk and Shannon finds him near the unconscious body of a man that he, Shannon, had been fighting with previously. The man dies and Shannon takes the blame and goes to prison. There he gets into trouble instigated by "... Read all

  • Director
    • Arthur Lubin
  • Writers
    • Norton S. Parker
    • Dorothy Davenport
  • Stars
    • Barton MacLane
    • Glenda Farrell
    • Paul Hurst
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.1/10
    343
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Arthur Lubin
    • Writers
      • Norton S. Parker
      • Dorothy Davenport
    • Stars
      • Barton MacLane
      • Glenda Farrell
      • Paul Hurst
    • 14User reviews
    • 4Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos155

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    Top cast45

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    Barton MacLane
    Barton MacLane
    • Joaquin Shannon
    Glenda Farrell
    Glenda Farrell
    • Jean Fenderson
    Paul Hurst
    Paul Hurst
    • Soapy
    Constance Moore
    Constance Moore
    • Maria Shannon
    Edward Pawley
    Edward Pawley
    • Joe Fenderson
    Edmund MacDonald
    Edmund MacDonald
    • Chris Nelson
    Ward Bond
    Ward Bond
    • Big Red Kincaid
    Guy Usher
    Guy Usher
    • Warden
    Victor Kilian
    Victor Kilian
    • Fenderson
    Frank Darien
    Frank Darien
    • Cappy
    George Cleveland
    George Cleveland
    • Ding
    Johnny Russell
    Johnny Russell
    • Jackie
    • (as John Russell)
    Thomas Louden
    • The Priest
    Paul Everton
    Paul Everton
    • Judge at Joaquin's Trial
    Roy Barcroft
    Roy Barcroft
    • Captain of the Prison Guard
    • (uncredited)
    John Barton
    • Prisoner
    • (uncredited)
    Nora Bush
    • Woman on Dock
    • (uncredited)
    Horace B. Carpenter
    Horace B. Carpenter
    • Tuna Fisherman at Party
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Arthur Lubin
    • Writers
      • Norton S. Parker
      • Dorothy Davenport
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews14

    6.1343
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    Featured reviews

    5Jeremy_Urquhart

    Eh

    It was weird that a fairly middling crime drama from the 1930s had a reasonably high rating and more than 5000 votes on Letterboxd, but this is one of those instances where people have imported their IMDb ratings and those ratings go toward a movie, seeing as shows aren't really on Letterboxd (at least not multi-season ones).

    I remember something similar happened to a super obscure 1940s movie called Mad About Men or something - it had a rating of more than 4/5 because it assimilated all the ratings people had given Mad Men the show.

    Anyway, 1938's Prison Break is just fine. At least it's not long, and it doesn't overextend itself. It does kind of underextend itself (is that even a term?) but I don't know; it's almost kinda watchable. I feel a bit duper about the whole Prison Break show to movie mix-up that made me intrigued about the high rating, but it is what it is.
    7rsoonsa

    Struggle of a good man against society.

    In one of his rare appearances as a lead, Barton MacLane gives what may be his best performance, playing the part of Joaquin Shannon, an Irish-Portuguese tuna fisherman off the Southern California coast who, due to his protection of his younger brother, is wrongfully convicted of manslaughter and sent to prison. The film has an apparent message, i.e., that a parolee has few rights as a citizen, but this takes up little filmic space while the struggle of Shannon to clear his name produces plenty of action, both in and out of the penitentiary, as he must deal with a cruel adversary, Red Kinkaid (Ward Bond) and still find time to woo his sweetheart, played by Glenda Farrell in one of her softer roles. As opposed to today, the Depression era status of released convicts, as this 1938 work demonstrates, proscribed their marrying, and this disappointment in addition to Shannon's inability to find a job propels him into situations which bring about a showdown with the dangerous Kincaid, for whom Shannon unwittingly served his time. Routinely directed by journeyman Arthur Lubin, the film benefits from effective editing by Jack Ogilvie and skillful work by cinematographer Harry Neumann, with scenes varied among commercial ocean fishing, penitentiary life, taverns,and fog-bestrewn docks preventing any slowdown during this rapidly paced movie, although both dialogue and action are marked by cliche and are somewhat predictable. MacLane's staunch performance is matched in impact by the vigorous Bond, while Farrell, although quick with a quip as ever, is rather winning in her turn as a steadfast paramour; others displaying strong interpretations are Victor Kilian as Farrell's father and Paul Hurst as a convict on the lam.
    6boblipton

    A good Programmer

    In this very watchable programmer, Barton Maclane is a tuna boat skipper. He and Glenda Farrell are due to be married. The night before a friend's marriage, her brother gets into a fistfight with Maclane and dies. Maclane is sent to prison for manslaughter. His plans to get out after a year are thwarted when tough guy Ward Bond continually riles him into a fight. When Maclane finally gets out on parole, he finds that no one wants to hire him.

    Maclane plays the big, bluff, decent guy perfectly and his chemistry with Miss Farrell is fine; they had worked together in the "Torchy Blaine" series at Warners. Although this Trem Carr production for Universal shows signs of unfortunate cheapness -- mostly in the score -- the movie tells its story well and makes some good points about the failings of the parole system without going overboard in its stridency.
    7spj-4

    an old movie with an important story to tell

    I found this movie well made considering the era it was made in, probably on a shoestring budget. It does a very good job of conveying the difficulties anyone with a criminal record or down on their luck, justly or otherwise has, in staying out of trouble.

    The lead character is portrayed with credibility & it is easy to understand the complex situations he becomes involved in, encouraging empathy from unbiased viewers observing his plight. In fact, he has a greater integrity surely, than a great many who always steer the favourable side of shady deals. And amongst it all, he finds himself up against other inmates, prison officers & prospective employers, to mention just a few. He is supported & consoled only by his sympathetic romantic interest. The settings & bureaucratic nightmare he finds himself in, in & outside of prison, are sadly all too applicable to the more modern world scenarios about us, as back in the era of this movie made in the aftermath of the tough realities of the Depression years.

    But this "Prison Break" succeeds in being entertaining as well as informative & insightful. It is well worth a view!
    searchanddestroy-1

    Smooth Universal prison film

    I expected a bit more from this prison film, starring Barton McLane, where I once more waited to see him as a prison warden. I always imagine Barton McLane as a prison warden; maybe because I saw him once playing a warden, a long time ago. Maybe.... Anyway, this drama is smooth, light hearted, not BRUTE FORCE anyway, nothing gritty, tough, rough. Not enough for my taste anyway. I even prefer women in prison plots such as CAGED or WOMEN'S PRISON. But this Arthur Lubin's film is not charmless, it is an agreeable time waster, unfortunately wasted by a cheesy ending. I am used to other kinds of jail birds tales. Yes, this movie won't let you forget RIOT IN CELL BLOCK 11.

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Connections
      Referenced in The Player (1992)

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    FAQ1

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 12, 1938 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Uppror i fängelset
    • Filming locations
      • Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA(Studio)
    • Production company
      • Trem Carr Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 12 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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