I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)

8.2Approved93 minDirector: Mervyn LeRoy

1932 film

I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang is a 1932 American pre-Code crime tragedy film directed by Mervyn LeRoy and starring Paul Muni as a convicted man on a chain gang who escapes to Chicago. It was released on November 10, 1932. The film received critical acclaim and was nominated for three Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Actor for Muni.

The film was written by Howard J. Green and Brown Holmes from Robert Elliott Burns's 1932 autobiography of a similar name I Am a Fugitive from a Georgia Chain Gang! originally serialized in the True Detective magazine. The true life story was later the basis for the television movie The Man Who Broke 1,000 Chains (1987) starring Val Kilmer.

In 1991, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

FAQ

What is I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang about?
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932) — Having returned from fighting in World War I, James Allen doesn't want to settle into a humdrum life and decides to set off to find his fortune. He travels the length and breadth of America, working as a skilled tradesman in the construction industry. When times get tough however
Is I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang based on a true story?
See the production background and source material details on the official Wikipedia article.
Is I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang scary?
Content rating: Approved. See the reviews tab for parental guidance and tone notes.