The Man Who Broke 1,000 Chains

Nicely cast, well-directed film, and a fitting "last hurrah" for the magnificent character actor Elisha Cook Jr, who plays Kilmer's aging mentor on the chain gang. Cook, best remembered for his portrayal of "Wilmer" (the cheap little gunsel) in THE MALTESE FALCON, does his usual superb supporting work.

KIlmer does a fine job, not falling into the obvious trap of going "over the top" -- which might be an understandable portrayal if this were fiction, but Kilmer's (like Muni's) somewhat subdued performance is much more in keeping with the real-life character's personality. Both versions drive me a bit nuts because I keep wanting him to kill his wife, who turned him in out of pure vindictiveness.

I was really touched by the realism in this movie. Kilmer portrayed an average guy, like any you or I might know, who gets thrown into a completely brutal environment. I found myself wanting to shout at the screen for the injustice of it! Kilmer looks just like someone close to me, which gave me even more empathy for his character. He could have been my brother, and I think the movie would have stirred up the same feelings of compassion.

The brutality of this film was actually a bit much for me, but so was Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. I thought parts of the movie were a little too gory.

I enjoyed all of what I didn't have to shield my eyes for. Well--enjoyed is a strange word for this movie--I appreciated it.

This is a well produced and gripping film that effectively captures both the period and the grim reality of a Georgia prison camp. As soon as he met Emily, you just knew what would happen. But it's still worth a watch. I think I spotted one goof. In one scene in 1929 there is a dial telephone. I don't believe they were introduced until the thirties. Also there were not the sort of radio newscasts in the twenties that were used to advance the story. But both are small points in an otherwise excellent film.

This is a film based on a true story, the story of Robert Burns, a World War I veteran who fell upon hard times, turned to petty crime in a point of desperation, and then went through the harrowing experience of the Southern prison system, with all the inhumanities that are attendant to that. Deprivations and cruel punishments abounded, as prisoners were literally whipped to death and set to work at back-breaking labour on chain gangs. At a certain point, Burns escaped, and finding a new life in a Northern state, became a prosperous businessman, still ever mindful of his escapee status. Burns, being assured of the justice of the system and that such inhumanities would not happen again, was led to seek to clarify his status by returning to the South, only to be absorbed once more into the inhuman system. However, this time his public profile was known around the country, and his cause became a cause célèbre. It forced a change in the prison system that remains a turning point in the humane treatment of prisoners to this day.

This film is based upon Robert Burns' own book, 'I am Fugitive from the Georgia Chain Gang'. Directed by Daniel Mann, the story stars Val Kilmer in a remarkably full role, with powerful performances by Charles Durning, Kyra Sedgwick and Elisha Cook Jr. (a veteran actor whose credits include 'The Maltese Falcon' and 'Sergeant York', in this his final role). The scenes are often breathtaking for their brutality and realism, and the overall tone is very true to life, albeit a reality we often want to hide from.

This is a rare film, not yet available on DVD, but one well worth watching, particularly for those who are interested in American history of a different sort.

Not only do I consider this to be Val's best performance, but I consider it to be the most touching. There are no surprises to be had. It's a gut wrenching and honest indictment of jursisprudence at it's most brutal. I consider it a crime that there is no way to even buy this anymore.