This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

You can practically hear Susan Hayward begging for an Oscar in every frame of "I Want to Live!", but strong direction by Robert Wise and a frank approach to tough subject matter makes for a powerful and unsettling movie despite Hayward's histrionics.Hayward plays Barbara Graham, a woman who (according to the movie) was wrongfully accused of participating in a murder and was sent to the gas chamber despite numerous appeals. The filmmakers don't think she received a fair trial, and everyone involved works over time to make us sympathize with Graham as a victim of an uncaring society. Hayward can't control herself and plays the character like she's Joan of Arc. The Academy, never one to embrace subtlety, dutifully gave her an Oscar for her efforts.But the thing is, this movie is disturbing no matter whether or not Graham was guilty. Capital punishment is disturbing even if you believe people deserve it, and the last third of the movie, which depicts in agonizing detail what it's like for someone on death row waiting to be marched to their doom, is deeply unsettling. Hayward won the film's only Oscar, but it also received nominations for director Robert Wise, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Black & White Cinematography, Best Film Editing, and Best Sound.Grade: A

Barbara Graham (1923-1955) is a woman with dubious moral standards, often a guest in seedy bars. She has been sentenced for some petty crimes. Two men she knows murder an older woman. When they get caught they start to think that Barbara has helped the police to arrest them. As revenge they tell the police that Barbara is the murderer.I was not familiar with the Barbara Graham case. I suppose I should say I am still not, at least not enough to compare the film to reality. So on that count, I have no opinion.But as a film in itself, this is great work. I can see the Oscar award was well-deserved. What I liked best, in fact, was how Graham was portrayed not necessarily as sympathetic. Innocent or not, she is coarse and rough around the edges. I appreciate they didn't make her seem too nice.

After watching "The Green Mile", "Monsters Ball", and "Dead Man Walking" I was pretty much convinced that Capital Punishment is beyond evolved societies. This film supported my belief only during the final moments that illustrated very precisely how to prepare a gas chamber for a death sentence. Fascinating, but looks like a decent way to go vs Chemo/Radiation for years.I am not a fan of Hayward and her histrionic performance did not lend well to portraying an innocent woman. The incessant cacophony of avant garde jazz only distracted from the capture of a fallen woman who went way astray in life. I know there are innocents in prison, on death row, etc., but this one-sided operation annoyed me more than instigate sympathy.I cannot recommend this film due to the poor performance of Hayward who supposedly was not a heroin addict but surely acted like one. Too many elements of the film were incongruous. With the strong emphasis on how this is based on actual facts, letters, discussions by a newspaper sensationalist headliner only debased the content vs enhance.If you are on the fence about the Death Penaly watch the three films aforementioned.

We all honor and respect Katharine Hepburn, Greta Garbo, Barbara Stanwyck for their great performances. Each of them especially liked the work of Susan Hayward. As Susan Hayward lay dying of brain cancer none other than Garbo showed up at Susan Haywad's house to pay respects in person! As did Katharine Hepburn and Barbara Stanwyck.Walter Wanger's I Want To Live, in black and white, with a great jazz score and expertly directed by Robert Wise and photographed by Lionel Lindon is the peak of Susan Hayward's acting career. As most actresses and a few stars Susan Hayward had well known "tricks" but for this movie Ms. Hayward played this role as naturally as Susan Hayward ever played any role. Susan Hayward dominates this movie and is brilliant in a career noted for great acting. Susan Hayward won the New York Film Critics, National Board of Review, Golden Globe and awards in France and Italy, for her performance in this movie, all leading up to her deserved Oscar win for I Want To Live. Susan Hayward was called back for a curtain call, the only time I can recall that happening for her great win.