A political appointee with a checkered past tries to institute constructive changes as the deputy commissioner at a cruel reform school but gets pushback from a sadistic warden and a suspicious judge who doesn't trust his motives..
Is it worth watching? If you have a thing for pre-code grittiness or just want to see James Cagney do his thing without the usual gangster fireworks, then absolutely. It's a quick watch. If you hate movies where the moral compass shifts on a dime or the ending feels like it was tacked on in a panic, you might want to s...
Comparing the cinematic DNA and archive impact of two defining moments in cult history.
Archie Mayo
William Parke
Community
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"Is it worth watching? If you have a thing for pre-code grittiness or just want to see James Cagney do his thing without the usual gangster fireworks, then absolutely. It's a quick watch. If you hate movies where the moral compass shifts on a dime or the ending feels like it was tacked on in a panic, you might want to skip it. There's this moment near the start where you realize the school is essentially a torture chamber. It’s not subtle. The warden, played with this delightful, slimy arrogance..."
Edward Chodorov, Islin Auster
United States
Drama, Romance, Crime
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