I AM A FUGITIVE FROM A CHAIN GANG (1932)

Warner Brothers

Directed by Mervyn LeRoy. Based on a story by Robert E. Burns, "I Am a Fugitive From a Georgia Chain Gang." Screenplay, Howard J. Green and Brown Holmes. Art Director, Jack Okey. Photography, Sol Polito. Film Editor, William Holmes. Gowns, Orry-Kelly. Technical Advisors, S. H. Sullivan and Jack Miller. Cut from existing prints: Spencer Charters (C. K. Hobb), Roscoe Karns (Steve), William Janney (Sheriff's Son), Harry Holman (Sheriff of Monroe). Actors replaced during production: Oscar Apfel by Edward Le Saint, C. Henry Gordon by Douglass Dumbrille, John Marston by Willard Robertson, Russell Simpson by Erville Alderson, Sam Baker by Everett Brown, Dewey Robinson by Walter Long, Edward Arnold by Wallis Clark, Morgan Wallace by Robert McWade. 93 min.

Cast: (James Allen) Paul Muni, (Marie Woods) Glenda Farrell, (Helen) Helen Vinson, (Pete) Preston Foster, (Barney Sikes) Allen Jenkins, (Bomber Wells) Edward Ellis, (Nordine) John Wray, (Reverend Robert Clinton Allen) HaleHamilton, (Guard) Harry Woods, (Warden)

David Landau, (Second Warden) Edward J. McNamara, (Ramsey) Robert McWade, (Prison Commissioner) Willard Robertson, (Linda) Noel Francis, (Mrs. Allen) Louise Carter, (The Judge) Berton Churchill, (Allen's Secretary) Sheila Terry, (Alice) Sally Blaine, (Red) James Bell, (Chairman of Chamber of Commerce) Edward Le Saint, (District Attorney) Douglass Dumbrille, (Fuller) Robert Warwick, (Train Conductor) Charles Middleton, (Parker) Reginald Barlow, (Ackerman) Jack La Rue, (Owner of Hot Dog Stand) Charles Sellon, (Chief of Police) Erville Alderson, (Wilson) George Pat Collins, (Doggy) William Pawley, (Mike, Proprietor of Diner) Lew Kelly, (Sebastian T. Yale) Everett Brown, (Texas) William LeMaire, (Vaudevillian) George Cooper, (Lawyer) Wallis Clark, (Blacksmith) Walter Long, (Georgia Prison Official) Frederick Burton, (Barber, Bill) Irving Bacon, (Arresting Officers) Lee Shumway, J. Frank Glendon, (Dance Extra) Dennis O'Keefe.

	Based on the book "I Am a Fugitive From a Georgia Chain Gang" by Robert Burns, this classic social drama depicts the harsh treatment bestowed upon the inmates in a southern penal system. The film's director, Mervyn Le Roy, became interested in adapting the book into a movie in 1931 when he begged Warner Brothers' studio head Jack Warner to purchase the rights of the novel from it's author. As it turned out, Burns, who was still a fugitive from justice after his last escape, was living peacefully in New Jersey, a state which had no extradition agreements with Georgia. For added authenticity, producer Hal Wallis had Burns smuggled incognito to Hollywood to lend further insight into the project as 'special' technical advisor.
Naturally, Burns was rather reluctant to make the long trek since he was at risk of being arrested for a third time! After many promises and assurances that his identity would be kept a secret, Burns made the trip to Burbank and proved an invaluable asset to the production, especially to Paul Muni. Muni, an actor of great depth, managed to bring an added dimension to his role by studying the author's movements, walk, mannerisms etc. explaining, "I don't want to imitate you, I want to be you!" The cinematography by Sol Polito proved extremely effective with it's dark shadows and dimly lit sets ideally signifying the brutalities with which these poor souls were victimized. As for the film's director, Mervyn Le Roy, he was one of Warner's premier directors, sharing the spotlight with the great Michael Curtiz. Le Roy's vast filmography includes such diverse classics as "Five Star Final" (1931) with Edward G. Robinson (another crackling depression-era social drama about yellow journalism), "Gold Diggers of 1933," "Waterloo Bridge" (1940), and "Random Harvest" (1942).

With "Chain Gang," Le Roy guided Muni perfectly through the film right up to the final curtain line where girlfriend Helen Vinson pleadingly questions the now desperate fugitive James Allen (Muni), "How do you live?" "I steal!" is the swift reply, with the shadowed visage of Allen suddenly disappearing as the screen turns black while footsteps are heard running on the soundtrack. In actuality this last segment of the movie was a faux pas. A fuse blew during shooting causing all the lights to go out at that very moment, after which they replaced the fuse and filmed the scene as planned.

At the next mornings rushes, the director and producer decided that the 'ruined' take proved more effective than the one originally conceived.

When "Chain Gang" was released in November of 1932, it did moderate business but eventually gained a solid reputation with the critics, who rallied for public awareness against the Georgia state penal code. Letters were written, laws were passed and eventually conditions softened prompting studio head Jack Warner and Mervyn Le Roy to travel south for a road show engagement. Before embarking, however, both men were receiving anonymous letters and telephone calls threatening their lives if they made the journey. Naturally all agreements were canceled!

All concerned were justly proud of the film, especially Paul Muni, who garnered his first Oscar nomination as best actor. It wasn't until 1936 that his "The Story of Louis Pasteur" won him such accolades. Although "I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang" was nominated for best picture, it lost out to Fox's lesser remembered "Cavalcade" (1933).
As originally intended, the movie was to bear the book's title, but studio officials decided to eliminate the name Georgia because they did not want to offend anyone from that state. Curiously, the film has been reissued under the title "I Am a Fugitive" for television distribution . Tonight's print bears the original titles exactly as audiences first viewed the film in the late fall of 1932, with the added advantage of being a mint, pristine original!

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