Todeszelle 2455

I am always amazed at how well hidden small jewels like Cell 2455 Death Row are. This is an important film, not only because it was based on the prison autobiography of Caryl Chessman, the notorious Red-Light Bandit who briefly haunted lovers lanes in post-war L.A but because he became the cause-celebre of the anti-death penalty movement. It's also a high-octane film that attempts to fairly portray the prison system of the day. William Campbell brings a measure of intelligence to the role of the condemned killer. We bear witness to his evolution as crook and (if you believe the crimes that led to the death sentence were his) sex fiend. All in all a snappy little effort.

Caryl Chessman was a career criminal who was sentenced to death*. What was unusual is that he didn't kill anyone and the death penalty was given for non-lethal kidnappings. However, instead of just waiting for his execution, Chessman became a 'prison lawyer'....filing all sorts of appeals as well as penning several books. One of the books, "Cell 2455, Death Row" is the basis for this film. Oddly, however, they changed his name in the story. The film also says the usual prologue about the story not being about anyone living or dead...even though it was from his autobiography! My assumption is that since Chessman was NOT a reliable guy and the book was self-serving, they decided to add the statement just in case the 'facts' aren't true.

I was surprised by the film because it did NOT portray 'Whitman' very sympathetically. He was a career criminal with attitiude and Campbell is great as this surly and very cocky con. But it also sanitized some of his crimes...such as the sex crimes which are barely mentioned in the film. Overall, it is a very enjoyable crime film...mostly due to Campbell and his excellent narration.

*After a LONG stint on Death Row, Chessman was finally executed in 1960.

True story of Caryl Chessman, here under the name "Whit" Whittier (Whittier being Chessman's real middle name), played by William Campbell, a juvenile delinquent who got worse and worse and worse... He eventually ends up in death row, where we are introduced to him, and his life up to that point is recounted.

Campbell does a nice job here, if not a little hammy at times. (but that's just the way he is naturally, it seems) There are other familiar faces and everyone does well, but this is really Campbell's time to shine. Knowing the events were real, the movie being based on Chessman's book of the same name, it was interesting to follow, especially knowing his became his own lawyer and basically added years to his life by studying law books.

Interestingly, this movie came out while he was on death row and is based on the first of four books he'd write, so things were still very much up in the air in the end! His wiki article is worth a look if you want to know how things turned out for him. Overall, this was pretty good. Definitely engaging. Certainly not one of those movies where you kinda secretly cheer for the fictional bad guy inside (know what I mean?), though, as he was a real, really bad guy.

Simply told, unsentimental tale inspired by the book, and real-life story, of Caryl Chessman. Having seen his father unable to cope with poverty, he grows up into a sneering punk, defiant of all authority. The incorrigible boy soon becomes a career criminal, spending time in and out of prison. Then he is accused of a series of "red light" sex crimes, and earns the death penalty for two of them. He then spends his time on death row reading up on the law, and trying to put off the inevitable with his various appeals.

This is a good B level treatment of this story which benefits from not really trying to make Whit Whittier (as he is named in the movie) sympathetic. Rather, it doesn't shy away from the utter ruthlessness and brazenness of his crimes. The point of the story is, did he in fact commit these sex crimes of which he was accused? And did he not have a right to exhaust every legal avenue available to him?

Actor William Campbell, a veteran of both A and B features, does well in this starring vehicle, displaying some charisma and screen presence. His real life younger brother R. Wright Campbell (who, in the subsequent years, embarked upon a successful career as a screenwriter) plays Whit as a younger man. The cast is quite good, overall: Marian Carr, the luscious Kathryn Grant, Harvey Stephens, Vince Edwards, Bart Braverman, Paul Dubov, Buck Kartalian, and others.

The short running time (77 minutes) gives evidence to storytelling (screenplay by Jack DeWitt, direction by Fred F. Sears) that is efficient and to the point. There are some good action scenes, and the atmosphere is potent.

Chessmans' tale was ongoing at the time of the movies' release, although his luck would finally run out several years later. Alan Alda later played the character in a 1977 TV movie, 'Kill Me if You Can'.

Seven out of 10.

Lurid account of Caryl Chessman's criminal career at a time when his book was big on newstands. One thing for sure—there's no attempt in the film to glamorize or soft-peddle what appears to be a thoroughly nasty personality. Rarely, in fact, has any movie of the period made its leading man so dislikable. Campbell is quite good as the cocky young punk who goes from thievery to penny-ante stick-ups to ripping off organized crime to lover's lane rapist.

The movie itself is so uncompromisingly grim as to be off-putting. There's no effort at relieving the cheap criminality with character development or snatches of humor. The screenplay does have more fast car chases and shenanigans than a NASCAR rally, while some are darn near hair-raising. Look early on for a young Kathryn Grant and before she started up the Hollywood ladder. All in all, the movie's little more than a cheap exploitation flick with few redeeming features outside of being fast-paced.

(In passing-- Chessman's appeals luck finally ran out in May, 1960, but not before attracting support from a number of celebrities ,e.g. Steve Allen, impressed by Chessman's literary talents. Then too as incorrigible as he was, he hadn't killed anyone. Nonetheless, I don't recall much public concern when he finally got a whiff of San Quentin's lethal fumes.)