Old Dude, Old Movies - "I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang"

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0023042/?ref_=sr_1

Released in 1932, starring the incomparable Paul Muni, this is must-see for fans of older movies. It's much-covered across the 'Net, so I won't rehash all details here. The first time I saw it, I was blown away by the grit and despair that kept cropping up. The movie was inspired by a real-life incident, and the movie was so inflammatory it was actually banned in the state of Georgia.

Muni plays James Allen, an Army veteran back from the battlefield after World War I. Like a lot of veterans, he's trying to make his way in a post-war America with a primary skill of killing the enemy (sound familiar?). His family welcomes him with open arms, excited that he can reclaim his old factory job and his old role in his hometown. But, Allen is a changed man who has seen too much. The old life has little allure for him now.

While in the Army, he realized he had a growing interest in bridge construction, civil engineering, etc. That dream seemed more rewarding than his current dreary existence. After some frustration and misadventure at home, he hits the road to seek a new destiny. He gets involved with a deadbeat, one thing leads to another, and Allen ends up in a Georgia prison on a chain gang.

For those who don't know, at the time chain gangs were a brutal tool used by prisons to keep inmates in check through strenuous, never-ending manual labor. Conditions were harsh, but many thought that was a good way to keep prisoners busy while serving their sentences.

Allen escapes the chain gang, flees to Chicago, and establishes a new life (his alias is charming, but goofy). He finally starts to realize his dream of building bridges, attaining some status in the community. So many movies in this era had that strong undercurrent of conflict inherent in class distinction. Folks on film then often aspired to move up in society, did whatever they could to maintain status in society, or lived in fear that their past lives might exclude them from moving up in society. Allen was one who successfully transformed himself where he actually carved out a niche in higher society.

This would be a cool ending to the movie, but things from here get crazy. There's love, marriage, double crosses, media hype, government officials lying, and a return trip to Georgia.

The final scene is amazing. Depending on who you want to believe, the scene turns on a) an accidental lighting mishap or b) shrewd insight by the director. The mood captured with the closing line is one of the most amazing ever captured on film.

I loved it, many other film buffs do as well. If you haven't seen it, I strongly suggest devoting the ninety-two or so minutes to giving it your full attention. You won't be disappointed.