Millionaires in Prison

From RKO. At the open, we see the warden describing some new additions to his prison. One big name in here (besides Lee Tracy) is Shemp Howard as "the Professor", a prisoner, who is clearly here for comic relief. Of course, they make fools of themselves the first day, expecting the blue chip treatment, which doesn't happen. Brent and Keats come up with a plan to try to scam the other cell mates over a copper mine. Keats is played by Chester Clute, who always played background roles, typically with no lines. Often hotel clerks, or waiters. I remember him from Copacabana, Easy Come Easy Go, Saratoga Trunk, Mildred Pierce. When you see his face, you'll say "of course, that guy!". Burton (Lee Tracy) is one of the smarter prison mates who knows what's up, kind of the ringleader. The girlfriends of the prisoners meet on visiting day, and also form an alliance. It's pretty entertaining. Some left turns along the way. Keep an eye out for Grady Sutton, the nephew who comes to see his uncle on visiting day. Sutton had been in a bunch of W.C. Fields' films. There is a comedic side to this mostly serious plot, and according to wikipedia.org director Ray McCarey had directed Our Gang episodes, as well as Laurel and Hardy and the Three Stooges. McCarey croaked quite young (44), but I haven't been able to find the cause of death. Film is mostly well done. A little over the top, but not a bad way to spend 64 minutes.

'Millionaires in Prison' is an excellent example of something that doesn't exist anymore, but which was commonplace in the days of the big Hollywood studios: the second feature. In the 1930s and '40s, Americans went to the movies expecting to receive a full evening's worth of entertainment: a double feature plus short subjects and a newsreel. The second feature (which was actually **first**, as it was screened **before** the main feature) typically had a shorter running time, lower budget and more obscure actors and director than the more prestigious main feature ... but, at their best, the second features were always well-made and solidly entertaining in their own right. 'Millionaires in Prison' is one of the very best examples of that tradition.

The movie opens with a brisk but heavy-handed expository scene, featuring a newspaper editor named R.J. Reynolds. (Could this be a plug for the tobacco company?) Reynolds is giving his reporters an assignment to do a story on four millionaire financiers who have recently been sent to prison for financial shenanigans. Interestingly, the editor tells his reporters in advance precisely how they're supposed to slant their reportage. (This sort of thing happens all the time in the real world, but I've never seen it depicted in any other movie: in Movieland, reporters are always objective truth-seekers.)

Two of the millionaires, well-played by veteran actors Raymond Walburn and Thurston Hall, are befuddled fall guys who somehow took the rap for someone else's embezzlement. Reynolds tells his reporters (and us) that these lads are innocent, and he adds: 'Go easy on them, boys.' On the other hand, the other two millionaires are outright crooks who are guilty as hell, and Reynolds gleefully tells his newshounds to pull all the stops out on them.

Walburn and Hall give enjoyable performances, but the characters they're playing aren't very credible. It's difficult to believe that these two dimwits could ever have been successful financiers. They're in a fairly conventional prison (not a Club Fed), doing hard time, yet they seem to think they're in some sort of country club.

There's a nice complement of veteran film faces here, with Lee Tracy and Morgan Conway at their cynical best, and a welcome turn by Shemp Howard. Even the annoying Chester Clute, one of my most un-favourite actors, manages to be less annoying than usual here. I kept hoping there'd be a cellblock riot and Clute would get taken hostage. (Or maybe a scene in the prison showers where Clute drops the soap...)

'Millionaires in Prison' is very ably directed by Ray McCarey, who was much less talented than his brother Leo McCarey but who was nonetheless a reliable director in his own right. Ray McCarey's work is long overdue for reappraisal, and 'Millionaires in Prison' is a good place to start. I'll rate this film 8 points out of 10.

An upgrade in the per capita wealth of a certain prison population with the addition of some wealthy folks. Two millionaires who you know inherited their loot Thurston Hall and Raymond Walburn at their bloviating best. Two others played by Morgan Conway and Chester Clute who actually continue their crooked ways conning the cons with some phony mining stock. Some are just incorrigible. Also in a character based on the protagonist in Magnificent Obsession is Truman Bradley a wealthy playboy doctor who was doing research into tropical diseases but got into a bad drunk driving incident. He's working out his rehabilitation working in the prison hospital under Dr. Selmer Jackson.

All this and other cons look up to Lee Tracy who while Thomas Jackson is the warden, it's Tracy who knows the system and how to survive in the joint best. Even the guards tell the prisoners to take their cues from Tracy.

With some cons like Shemp Howard, Horace McMahon, and Cliff Edwards these guys make serving time look like enforced summer camp. Still millionaires in prison has quite a few laughs to it. With a cast like this you would expect it so.

Millionaires in Prison (1940)

** (out of 4)

Silly "B" picture from RKO about four businessmen who go to prison for embezzlement and we see the "changes" they make while behind bars. Whenever I see a movie come up on Turner Classic Movie and it involves prison, it always gets recorded because the Golden Age of Hollywood usually delivered some pretty good prison films. Sadly, this here isn't one of the good ones despite some fine performances. The biggest problem is the screenplay, which just offers up way too many cliché moments as well as some really stupid plot twists and turns. One such moment is some comic relief when two of the men want better food to eat during their stay. Um, not funny. Another weird twist happens towards the end and involves a doctor needing to do something good but I won't spoil it for you. Again, at just 63-minutes the film seems twice as long and that's never good when you're watching a second-tier picture. The one saving grace are the fine performances scattered throughout the film. Lee Tracy is extremely good in his leading role and we get nice support from Raymond Walbum, Morgan Conway, Linda Hayes and even Shemp Howard has a nice role that you wouldn't expect to see him in. Still, MILLIONAIRES IN PRISON just doesn't have enough credibility to work.

A thoroughly "Pac Man" plot that busily chews its way through any scenario of reason, this film features a cure for "Malta Fever", a con scheme involving a copper mine, and two rich men trying to improve prison cuisine. There is also two love stories of a sort and a murder off-screen featuring a convict shoved into a furnace. Lee Tracey stars with a great group of character actors, Raymond Walburn, Thurston Hall, Shemp Howard and Chester Clute. Top it off with Horace McMahon and Cliff Edwards and who wouldn't bite.

It's another country club prison where the warden admits if he were fired, he wouldn't run the place without Mickey Burke (Tracey) who, indeed seems to be the general manager of the place. Burke has stuck up a joint to get money to marry his girlfriend and is rather happily serving an eight year stretch. Its all total nonsense, but these are the mugs anyone would serve time with.