Castle on the Hudson

John Garfield steps into the shoes of, most obviously Spencer Tracy (it is, after all, a remake of the earlier "20000 Years in Sing Sing") and also Cagney (in "Angels With Dirty Faces") in Anatole Litvak's prison drama, even finding himself pitted against Tracy's old mate and Cagney's "Angels" co-star Pat O'Brien.

Garfield is the upwardly mobile mobster who finally takes a fall, winding up in the notorious Osining or Sing Sing penitentiary under the tough but fair governorship of O'Brien. Garfield is initially defiant but it's amazing what three months in solitary confinement and worrying about the girl you left behind, in this case, Ann Sheridan can do to even the toughest of tough guys and soon the one-time rebel is starting to play ball with the law, to use Dylan's phrase.

When he learns that Sheridan is critically ill after a close encounter with his supposedly supportive but in truth, backstabbing lawyer, Garfield's good behaviour inside sees him allowed out by the benevolent governor on an own-recognisance overnight furlough (whoever heard of such a thing for such a dangerous criminal!), to visit his ailing girl, but rats!, this falls on a Saturday which as we've already been made well aware, is Jinx-day for Johnny.

Sure enough, it all goes wrong when Garfield visits Sheridan in hospital and accidentally encounters his two-timing lawyer and there's also the little matter of the governor, who stands to lose his job if Garfield doesn't do the honourable thing and turn himself back in, leaving the stage clear for a climactic Rocky Sullivan-type dilemma for our hero.

Litvak keeps the action moving briskly and there's good synergy among the three leads, enmeshing Garfield's typically hot-wired demeanour, O'Brien's paternal concern and Sheridan's blind devotion. A young Burgess Meredith also makes a good impression as a would-be escapee.

As usual, Litvak inserts a montage or three into the action, but overall this short but sharp early-noir thriller built around the charismatic Garfield is well worth tracking down.

Cocky gangster (Garfield) goes to prison where he gradually reforms until given a break by the prison warden (O'Brien). Then problems ensue.

Typically gritty Warner Bros. fare from the pre-war era. Garfield shows he's in the same gangster class as Cagney and Robinson. Watch him spit out dialog faster than a machine gun burst while doing a tough-guy routine. And who better to double-cross him than that slippery lounge lizard Jerome Cowan who could machine gun his own dialog as a reporter in dozens of period films.

But the real scene stealer is scrawny, athletic Burgess Meredith, a brainy con who outwits the prison head-doctor (Grant Mitchell) in the movie's best scene. He may be the least-likely looking con I've seen; still, he and Garfield make a dynamic leadership team (as long as it's not Saturday!). On the other hand, goofy Big Boy Williams strikes me as a matter of taste.

It's a compelling, if not original, plot that redeems Garfield without whitewashing him. Still, I'm not sure what his actual capital crime is when they lead him away, especially when the all-powerful Production Code insisted that justice be served on this side of the pearly gates. Nonetheless, his scenes with the warden (O'Brien) are nicely shaded gems of growing respect, while a lovely Sheridan is affecting as the luckless girlfriend.

As this gutsy little programmer shows, star-studded MGM may have had the gloss, but plebeian Warner's had the grit.

Except for some opening scenes that show the crime that John Garfield is sent to prison for, Castle on the Hudson is a virtual word for word remake of 20,000 Years in Sing Sing.

But it's better cast. John Garfield does far better here than Spencer Tracy did in the original. In fact this was the second remake that Garfield did that improved on the original. He was also better in They Made Me a Criminal than Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. in The Life of Jimmy Dolan.

Also a big improvement is Burgess Meredith over Lyle Talbot as the stir crazy convict whose escape attempt is a flop.

Still though there is that nutty premise of warden Pat O'Brien giving a one day furlough to Garfield where he gets in trouble. Same as the original film, it just doesn't ring true.

Or should I say any more true.

This is a very melancholy crime drama in which a very arrogant young gangster gets pinched by the cops and goes up the river where the warden isn't very sympathetic to his "tough guy" attitude or ways. Eventually the warden wears him down and becomes a semi-productive prisoner. Until a fellow inmate wants to make a breakout attempt to see his pregnant girl and he panics when he discovers it's on Saturday...his unlucky day.

The gangster is played by John Garfield and he has a very sympathetic and understanding girlfriend played by Ann Sheridan.

There are no real likable or sympathetic characters, but it was a short prison-centric gang story for those who might enjoy that.

One of my favorite lines: "Come on and shove over. What do you want me to do catch cold?"-Tommy.

This is a silly,cliche-ridden prison movie that is nevertheless entertaining and interesting. An almost-unrecognizable (young!) Burgess Meredith plays a good part here in this film as a fellow-inmate of the star inmate/gangster played by John Garfield.

As far as the actual storyline goes,it's all just a bit too much to believe,in fact some of it is downright ridiculous to put it gently.

However,this is a beautifully-made black and white film that is interesting from start to finish. The film/print quality was crystal-clear,the action scenes are pretty wild and suspenseful. Overall,I liked it.