This is one bleak, prison movie that goes under the heading of "film noir." I love many, many film noirs but I didn't find this appealing enough to remain a "keeper" in my collection. It's too much talk, for one thing, and sadistic prison guards and a depressing setting don't do much for me, either.
I have nothing but praise, however, for the photography and for the all the facial close-ups. The cast also is outstanding and deep with the likes of Burt Lancaster, Hume Cronyn, Yvonne DiCarlo, Charles Bickford, Ella Raines, Howard Duff, Jeff Corey and Walt Bisssell. Wow - that's a lot of "name" actors to us film noir fans.
In between the jail scenes, we get flashbacks to various male-female relationships. In all, I was disappointed in this because I expected so much more.
I have nothing but praise, however, for the photography and for the all the facial close-ups. The cast also is outstanding and deep with the likes of Burt Lancaster, Hume Cronyn, Yvonne DiCarlo, Charles Bickford, Ella Raines, Howard Duff, Jeff Corey and Walt Bisssell. Wow - that's a lot of "name" actors to us film noir fans.
In between the jail scenes, we get flashbacks to various male-female relationships. In all, I was disappointed in this because I expected so much more.