The Man Who Broke 1,000 Chains

Just saw this movie on VHS. I had no idea what kind of movie it was before I pushed "play", so it turned out to be a very intense movie and wouldn't let you go.

Val's character was a regular veteran, and he played it like a regular guy too, no overacting. Because the character was so real, the following prison and labor scenes contrasted greatly with the ordinary character and made them even more dramatic than in an action movie.

At times it was just unbearable to watch and I had to FF it, not because it was bad, on the contrary, because they were so good and real. Other than Val's excellently subdued performance, the supporting casts did well too.

The acting was top notch, story line was flawless, and the ending was justified but not Hollywood typical. So it's a very well done movie, worth watching it.

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.

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.

This movie, along with Escape From Alcatraz, developed my love for the Prison Movie genre. One of Val Kilmer's better performances. Filmed like a TV movie of it's era, the story is intriguing (based on a true story!). It took me a while to actually find a digital version of this movie. If you like prison movies, you'll love this one.

Like many TV movies, "The Man Who Broke 1,000 Chains" has suffered an unfortunate fading into obscurity through no fault of its own. Truly, this film is every bit as good as the Paul Muni original, if only a bit less for being the second go-around.

Director Daniel Mann gives the film a real edge, a surprising sense of desperation from a director who spent a career filming melodramas like "The Rose Tattoo" (1955). In fact, it was his last film before passing away at the age of 78 in 1991. He gives the film real claustrophobia and suspense.

This is one of Val Kilmer's best roles, and he makes you believe he's really experiencing all of this. As the warden, Charles Durning is very menacing, digging his heels into every ounce of hatefulness he can drag out his character. It's an excellent performance. The female roles are well-played within their limits, but the other real standout performance is from James Keach. I always felt that James was every bit as good an actor as brother Stacy, and was quite disappointed when he quit acting for a rather mediocre directing career (save for the stunning "The Stars Fell on Henrietta").

The script is very dark, providing few moments of light. Even in civilian life, Eliot Burns finds his life constantly unraveling. I began to believe that Burns got into trouble more through his lack of foresight than his lack of luck. Overall, it's a very good picture, and an excellent historical document of the chain gang life - nearly as good as "Cool Hand Luke" (1967).

RATING: 7.6 out of 10