And so begins the attempts to expose corruption within the prison that goes much further up, all the way to the state governor. It all begins with the warden forced to taste the prison stew. Michael Whalen is a journalist with a prison record determined to expose corruption from the local government on up after being rudely turned down for a job by local conservative newspaper owner Dolores Costello who only prints what she feels the public has the right to know. With the help of the soon to be fired warden (Selmer Jackson), Whalen opens a rival newspaper which of course is danger to the uppity corrupt heads of state.
An enjoyable Capra like B movie with Costello basically playing a female version of Edward Arnold in "Meet John Doe". She had picked Whalen up earlier after he held her fix her car and made an excuse to let him out when she found out about his past. Young Virginia Weidler, who played Norma Shearer's daughter the same year in "The Women", is quite good as Whalen's daughter, initially ashamed of him but becoming more proud as he takes on Costello and her right winged agenda.
The title of this film gives a different impression when you find out that it starts off in prison but it also deals with the misconceptions about ex-cons and the prejudices they face because of one mistake. A very good thoughtful screenplay and excellent direction by Ray McCarey makes this hour long programmer not only one of the best B movies of the year, but one of the best movies of the greatest year in cinema history, 1939.
An enjoyable Capra like B movie with Costello basically playing a female version of Edward Arnold in "Meet John Doe". She had picked Whalen up earlier after he held her fix her car and made an excuse to let him out when she found out about his past. Young Virginia Weidler, who played Norma Shearer's daughter the same year in "The Women", is quite good as Whalen's daughter, initially ashamed of him but becoming more proud as he takes on Costello and her right winged agenda.
The title of this film gives a different impression when you find out that it starts off in prison but it also deals with the misconceptions about ex-cons and the prejudices they face because of one mistake. A very good thoughtful screenplay and excellent direction by Ray McCarey makes this hour long programmer not only one of the best B movies of the year, but one of the best movies of the greatest year in cinema history, 1939.
