Truly Dreadful Film

How sad is this?

A Masterpiece!

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

One of only three films (all of them apparently very good) by Rowland Brown, who had more success as a screenwriter, this was released the same year as "I Was a Fugitive From a Chain Gang," and apparently its studio had to make some changes in order to avoid potential plagiarism litigation from Warner Brothers. But beyond also being set in a Southern prison work camp, it's very much its own distinctive film in story and style. The once highly popular, now largely forgotten Richard Dix is fine as the tough veteran convict dismayed when his hero-worshipping younger brother turns up as a fellow inmate, having glamorized his older sibling's outlaw machismo and severely under-estimating the potentially fatal hardships of being sentenced to such an establishment. Eventually there's an escape attempt, but that doesn't happen until late; most of "Hell's Highway" is concerned with everyday life in the prison camp, and despite its very economical running time, does an impressive job representing the diversity of personality/racial/et al. types amongst both convicts and staff. There's room for humor as well as blunt indictment (of an abusive for-profit prison labor system that's all too relevant today). It's one of those striking vintage movies that packs an unbelievable amount of well-thought-out ideas and drama into a compact package that seldom seems rushed or over-simplified. The only viewers who might be disappointed are those who are here for Rochelle Hudson--though second-billed, she only has one scene in a standard ingenue role, which makes sense this movie takes place in a brutal, self-contained world that has no use for women.

Well done chain gang movie - a short film, but packed with enough prison movie clichés to hold my interest for an hour including prisoners working in the hot sun with pick axes to build a highway under the supervision of mean, whip-wielding guards, the "sweat box" where prisoners get punished (sometimes to the death), bad chow (of course), black inmates singing spirituals, blackmail, murder, prison escapes, and two brothers - one the older, cocky, hardened bank robber (Richard Dix), the other a kid (Tom Brown) who seems to look up to his older brother almost like a father-figure and gets put in the prison for taking a shot at the "squealer" who sent his brother to the slammer. And to add a little color to the mix of men here - there's also a gay cook, a deaf inmate, and a prisoner who "reads the stars" and tells fortunes. There's also a bit about prison reform too, as a man is sent there to inspect the reason for the latest "sweat box death".This is quite a good film, nicely photographed in almost what I might call an early noir style with lots of dark shadows and close-ups. Richard Dix gives a really, quite good performance here - I usually think he seems a bit hammy, but this role really seemed to suit him. A young Rochelle Hudson appears here as Tom Brown's girlfriend - though her part is very, very, very brief. All in all, I found this film to be quite interesting and entertaining - well worth seeing.

Movie made showing the inhuman conditions of a chain gang. Duke Ellis (Richard Dix) is ready to escape until he sees his younger brother Johnny (Tom Brown) is being sent to the same prison. He decides to stay and protect him...but Johnny has a quick temper...The acting is just so-so (Dix is the worst offender), the dialogue and violence are pretty tame and this is very dated but it's still a good drama. It deals fairly realistically with the terrible conditions and doesn't hold back. Racism is dealt with and there's even an obviously gay prisoner! There's nothing shocking or new here by today's standards but this must have packed quite a punch back in 1932. The only really bad part is the ridiculously happy ending that was so improbable that I was almost laughing! Still, this is worth catching. A 7.

To me this film shown on TCM @ 2 wks ago early am! (end of NOV. 03) left such an impact. on me Never Heard or seen before!! . wow..better than I AM A Fugitive From A Chain Gang!! before the code was in progress.. A prison drama depicting the harsh realities & also the racial & sexual innuendoes which awhile later would have been censored: WATCH!!! Observe the cook in the Prison..obviously gay or "Pansy" being slapped on the behind by one of the male wardens.. & later talking about a funeral which he'll never forget, where the Pansies were sooo large"!! & the immortal Louise Beavers visiting her boyfriend in same prison"rolling her eyes" & making it clear that she wishes her "Handy Man" was free.. so she could feel so much better!!!& he sees her & states he"aint well since he ain't had no 'sugar"...wow could not believe my eyes & ears !!& the relationship between the imprisoned brothers..THIS FILM SHOULD BE ON DVD/and or VHS has a lot to say about prisons of the South at that time (early 1930s) & sexual mores & racial attitudes way back then.. should not be missed !an Historic Document!!! How did we let this one pass?? & Rochelle Hudson? gorgeous & beautiful Want to see again..Thanks TCM once more