Vingt mille ans sous les verrous

Original title: 20,000 Years in Sing Sing

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Brash hoodlum Tom Connors enters Sing Sing prison cocksure of himself and disrespectful toward authority, but the tough but compassionate warden is able to effect change in him.Brash hoodlum Tom Connors enters Sing Sing prison cocksure of himself and disrespectful toward authority, but the tough but compassionate warden is able to effect change in him.Brash hoodlum Tom Connors enters Sing Sing prison cocksure of himself and disrespectful toward authority, but the tough but compassionate warden is able to effect change in him.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.8/10

3.1K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 win total

Photos34

+ 28

Top cast39

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Spencer Tracy

Tommy Connors

Bette Davis

Fay Wilson

Arthur Byron

Warden Paul Long

Lyle Talbot

Bud Saunders

Warren Hymer

Hype

Louis Calhern

Joe Finn

Bull Anderson

Prisoner
(uncredited)

Ward Bond

Police Officer
(uncredited)

Spencer Charters

Officer Daniels
(uncredited)

G. Pat Collins

Mike - Death Row Convict
(uncredited)

Lucille Collins

Girl with Friend Helping Tommy
(uncredited)

James Donlan

Reporter #1
(uncredited)

Mike Donlin

Inmate
(uncredited)

Rockliffe Fellowes

Friend Helping Tommy
(uncredited)

Fireman Jim Flynn

Guard
(uncredited)

Sam Godfrey

Reporter #2
(uncredited)

Betty Jane Graham

Warden Long's Daughter
(uncredited)

Bobbie Hale

Inmate
(uncredited)

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Writer Lewis E. Lawes was still warden of Sing Sing prison during filming and allowed the crew to film inside and outside the prison, including mob scenes.

Goofs
When the warden's letter of resignation is shown, it's addressed to "The Honorable Governor Strang" in Albany. The letter is dated June 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt (soon to be elected President) was Governor from 1929-1933.

Quotes
Tommy Connors: I'd give a million bucks to be alone with you for a little while honey. Do you love me?
Fay Wilson: Yeah.
Tommy Connors: Well don't come up here dolled up like that anymore.
Fay Wilson: Why, Tommy?
Tommy Connors: What's the matter with you? Do you want me to go crazy? You have me foaming at the mouth like a cream puff.
Fay Wilson: On, I'm sorry, Tommy, I never thought about that. I just want to look nice for you.
Tommy Connors: That's alright. But, you know you don't have to come up here looking too hot!

Connections
Featured in Secret Service of the Air (1939)

Soundtracks
Spirit of Independence
(1912) (uncredited)
Music by Abe Holzmann
Played during the baseball and marching montage

User reviews47

Featured review

7/10

"Sounds like a chop suey joint."

Great Pre-Code prison flick from Warner Bros. stars Spencer Tracy as an arrogant hoodlum sent to prison where he learns he's not the big shot he thought he was. Gradually he's humbled by a stern but fair warden and we learn he's not such a bad guy after all underneath all that tough talk. Tracy's good in an early role. The fine cast backing him up includes Bette Davis, Louis Calhern, Lyle Talbot, and Arthur Byron. This was the only screen pairing of Tracy and Davis. Bette's likable and pretty here with one nice scene to display her melodramatic acting chops. This might be the first prison movie to use the plot device of a convict being granted 24-hour leave for but doesn't return on time for one reason or another. It would be used in other prison dramas in the years to come. I'm not certain this is the first but I think it might be. It's also notable for having many scenes filmed on location in Sing Sing. It's solid entertainment that any fan of the types of crime dramas WB was known for in the '30s will enjoy.