20,000 Years in Sing Sing

MEN without WOMEN...MEN without HOPE! smash their lives to pieces against their STEEL CHAINS!

6.3
19321h 18m

Production

Logo for First National Pictures
Logo for Warner Bros. Pictures

Brash hoodlum Tom Connors enters Sing Sing cocksure of himself and disrespectful toward authority, but his tough but compassionate warden changes him.

Trailers & Videos

Thumbnail for video: 20,000 Years In Sing Sing (1932)Trailer

20,000 Years In Sing Sing (1932)Trailer

Cast

Photo of Spencer Tracy

Spencer Tracy

Tommy Connors

Photo of Bette Davis

Bette Davis

Fay Wilson

Photo of Arthur Byron

Arthur Byron

Warden Paul Long

Photo of Lyle Talbot

Lyle Talbot

Bud Saunders

Photo of Spencer Charters

Spencer Charters

Officer Daniels (uncredited)

Photo of G. Pat Collins

G. Pat Collins

Death Row Convict Mike (uncredited)

Photo of James Donlan

James Donlan

First Reporter (uncredited)

Photo of Mike Donlin

Mike Donlin

Inmate (uncredited)

Photo of Rockliffe Fellowes

Rockliffe Fellowes

Friend Helping Tommy (uncredited)

Photo of Betty Jane Graham

Betty Jane Graham

Warden Long's Daughter (uncredited)

Photo of Arthur Hoyt

Arthur Hoyt

Dr. Meeker (uncredited)

Photo of Harold Huber

Harold Huber

Death Row Convict Tony (uncredited)

Photo of Jack La Rue

Jack La Rue

Prisoner at Check-In (uncredited)

Photo of John Marston

John Marston

Man from District Attorney's Office (uncredited)

Photo of Edward McNamara

Edward McNamara

Head Guard Richards (uncredited)

Photo of Grant Mitchell

Grant Mitchell

Tester of Convicts' IQs (uncredited)

Photo of Frank O'Connor

Frank O'Connor

Cell Guard (uncredited)

Photo of Jack Stoney

Jack Stoney

Guard Punched by Connors (uncredited)

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Reviews

J

John Chard

7/10

Warden, I never broke my word, see - not even to a rat, and I won't break it now to a square guy.

20,000 Years in Sing Sing is directed by Michael Curtiz and adapted to screenplay by Wilson Mizner, Brown Holmes, Courtney Terrett and Robert Lord from the book written by Warden Lewis E. Lawes. It stars Spencer Tracy, Bette Davis, Lyle Talbot, Arthur Byron, Grant Mitchell and Warren Hymer. Music is by Bernhard Kaun and cinematography by Barney McGill.

Cocksure hoodlum Tom Connors (Tracy) enters Sing Sing and is instantly disrespectful towards those in authority. Could it be that the tough - but compassionate for reform - warden can put Connors on the right road?.

Out of Warner Brothers, this crime/prison melodrama manages to rise above its social conscience heart to become gutsy entertainment. This is due in most part to a committed turn from Tracy, the real location photography, the use of real prisoners for key prison scenes and the sense of realism brought about by the adaption from real life Sing Sing Warden Lawes' literature source. Curtiz manages to keep it from being a torrid "message" movie, even keeping a grim feel to proceedings, though his one failing is not to rein in the sometimes over the top perf from Davis as Tom's love interest moll. 7/10

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