Movie Cosmos - 20,000 Years in Sing Sing

Description:

Brash hoodlum Tom Connors enters Sing Sing cocksure of himself and disrespectful toward authority, but his tough but compassionate warden changes him.

Top Cast >

Spencer Tracy

As Tommy Connors

Bette Davis

As Fay Wilson

Arthur Byron

As Warden Paul Long

Lyle Talbot

As Bud Saunders

Warren Hymer

As Hype

Louis Calhern

As Joe Finn

Spencer Charters

As Officer Daniels (uncredited)

G. Pat Collins

As Death Row Convict Mike (uncredited)

Lucille Collins

As Girl with Friend Helping Tommy (uncredited)

James Donlan

As First Reporter (uncredited)

Mike Donlin

As Inmate (uncredited)

Rockliffe Fellowes

As Friend Helping Tommy (uncredited)

Sam Godfrey

As Second Reporter (uncredited)

Betty Jane Graham

As Warden Long's Daughter (uncredited)

Oscar 'Dutch' Hendrian

As Prisoner at Rockpile (uncredited)

Arthur Hoyt

As Dr. Meeker (uncredited)

Harold Huber

As Death Row Convict Tony (uncredited)

Jack La Rue

As Prisoner at Check-In (uncredited)

William Le Maire

As 'Black Jack' aka 'Eight Ball' (uncredited)

John Marston

As Man from District Attorney's Office (uncredited)

Edward McNamara

As Head Guard Richards (uncredited)

Grant Mitchell

As Tester of Convicts' IQs (uncredited)

Philip Morris

As Death Row Guard (uncredited)

Frank O'Connor

As Cell Guard (uncredited)

Sam Rice

As Doorman at Bar (uncredited)

Dick Rush

As Prison Guard (uncredited)

Jack Stoney

As Guard Punched by Connors (uncredited)

Harry Strang

As Prison Guard (uncredited)

Phil Tead

As Reporter in Crowd (uncredited)

Harry Tenbrook

As Convict (uncredited)

Sheila Terry

As Bud Saunders' Wife 'Babe' (uncredited)

Nella Walker

As Mrs. Long (uncredited)

Clarence Wilson

As Finn's Lawyer Morris (uncredited)

Harry Wilson

As Seated Prisoner (uncredited)

Ward Bond

As Police Officer (uncredited)

Top Crew >

Michael Curtiz

Director

Lewis E. Lawes

Novel

Courtney Terrett

Adaptation

Robert Lord

Adaptation

Wilson Mizner

Screenplay

Brown Holmes

Screenplay

Barney McGill

Director of Photography

George Amy

Editor

Darryl F. Zanuck

Producer

Anton Grot

Art Direction

Orry-Kelly

Costume Design

Bernhard Kaun

Original Music Composer

William Forsyth

Casting Assistant

Reviews:

John Chard (7/10)

Warden, I never broke my word, see - not even to a rat, and I won't break it now to a square guy.

20,000 Years in Sing Sing is directed by Michael Curtiz and adapted to screenplay by Wilson Mizner, Brown Holmes, Courtney Terrett and Robert Lord from the book written by Warden Lewis E. Lawes. It stars Spencer Tracy, Bette Davis, Lyle Talbot, Arthur Byron, Grant Mitchell and Warren Hymer. Music is by Bernhard Kaun and cinematography by Barney McGill.

Cocksure hoodlum Tom Connors (Tracy) enters Sing Sing and is instantly disrespectful towards those in authority. Could it be that the tough - but compassionate for reform - warden can put Connors on the right road?.

Out of Warner Brothers, this crime/prison melodrama manages to rise above its social conscience heart to become gutsy entertainment. This is due in most part to a committed turn from Tracy, the real location photography, the use of real prisoners for key prison scenes and the sense of realism brought about by the adaption from real life Sing Sing Warden Lawes' literature source. Curtiz manages to keep it from being a torrid "message" movie, even keeping a grim feel to proceedings, though his one failing is not to rein in the sometimes over the top perf from Davis as Tom's love interest moll. 7/10

2020-02-09