What makes it different from others?

Surprisingly incoherent and boring

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Warner Brothers classic I Am A Fugitive From A Chain Gang coming from a bigger studio as it did overshadowed RKO's Hell's Highway. That's a pity because the fact that the two films came out around the same time robbed this one of the attention it deserves.Richard Dix and Tom Brown play the Ellis Brothers, a pair of convicts in a southern state prison of unknown name. Dix is a hardened convict, a lifer who's about to have it made official because he was convicted of his fourth offense and falls under the habitual criminal act.Dix has a hero worshiping younger brother in Brown who gets himself tossed in the slam because he decides to even the score for Dix by shooting someone who ratted his brother out. Dumb kid, he's lucky he missed otherwise it would be a very long stretch.As in I Am a Fugitive From a Chang Gang the emphasis is on the horrible conditions in these prisons, they are every bit as gruesome as they are in the Warner Brothers film. The highlight of the film is a mass escape when the entire compound goes up in a kerosene fire. Even though these guys are in there for God knows what, your sympathies are with them as the local populace goes on a hunting expedition for the convicts. It's like everyone participating in Leslie Banks's sport of hunting The Most Dangerous Game which also came out that year by RKO.I was pleasantly surprised by the depths of Richard Dix's performance. Usually he's a pretty straight arrow hero in his film in a classic Victorian era style of acting. His part here is the best work I've ever seen him do, though I can honestly say I haven't seen that many of his films.You'll see good performances also by Stanley Fields as the head guard and by Charles Middleton, the philosophical bigamist in the joint for the same.Catch this film if it is ever run again by TCM.

This was a tough prison to be in. The inmates were dispatched to chain gangs, and instead of stripes on their shirts, they wore bullseyes on their backs. That made it a lot easier to chase down and shoot escapees. At night they slept in what amounted to large cages with bunk beds, about 8 to 10 men per cage.William Billings is the local contractor, and he stands to make a good profit constructing a new road with chain gang labor. He also has a special "hot box" built, to encourage prisoners to work hard. They referred to it as the "hospital." Richard Dix, star of that era, is hardened criminal 'Duke' Ellis, and on this chain gang. Things turn when his little brother, played by 18 year old Tom Brown as 'Johnny' Ellis gets in there too. He tried to shoot a man who was a witness against Duke.When Johnny, working in the office, notices that Michigan wants Duke to be extradited, for a 4th offense, which means "life", Johnny decides to try to break him out. Things go wrong, but eventually the prisoners get satisfaction when Billings is arrested for murder for having one man die in the hot box. Duke would be a witness against him, and Johnny would be allowed to get out in a few more days because he saved some guards from the fire.

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

This was a great flick. The prisoners had to wear bullseyes on the back of their uniforms. This is so the guards could aim well at them when they try to escape. The black prisoners are great singers and there does not appear to be any racism. The sissy cook was a real interesting character. He was such a sissy. And that little brother had the PERFECT HAIR. I was impressed with how well he kept his appearance up.