Movie spotlight
After young Robert Graham commits a murder while drunk and defending his girlfriend, he is prosecuted by ambitious Mark Brady and sentenced to 10 years. Six years later, Brady becomes the prison warden and offers the beleaguered Robert a job as his chauffeur. Robert cleans up his act, but, on the eve of his pardon, his cellmate drags him back into the world of violence, and he faces a difficult choice that could return him to prison.
A young lawyer, Matt Brady, is appointed district attorney and is determined to uphold the law, even when his corrupt father-in-law, a wealthy businessman, tries to influence him. Brady's conviction of a small-time thief, Robert Graham, for a petty crime leads to Graham's harsh sentence and a dangerous entanglement with a ruthless prison fixer.
Howard Hawks' 'The Criminal Code' was a significant early entry in the prison drama genre, praised for its gritty realism and uncompromising portrayal of the justice system. While it garnered attention for its mature themes and suspenseful narrative, its reception was generally strong, particularly for its direction and Walter Huston's performance.
Praised for its stark and unflinching depiction of prison life.
Hailed for Howard Hawks' masterful direction and taut suspense.
Walter Huston's performance as the corrupt warden received particular acclaim.
Google audience: Audience reception data for 'The Criminal Code (1931)' is not readily available on Google's platform.
None notable.
The film was adapted from a novel by Richard E. Lee, who based it on his own experiences as a former inmate and parole officer, lending an authentic voice to the prison setting.
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Philips Holmes is really good in this Howard Hawks story of a twenty year old who accidentally kills a man in a silly brawl. The DA - "Mark Brady" (Walter Huston) realises quickly that he could have claimed self-defence for the young man, b...
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