Protraph Lack of good storyline.

ChanFamous I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Leoni Haney Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

Staci Frederick Blistering performances.

alexanderdavies-99382 The reputation of John Garfield has suffered somewhat on account of his being accused of Communism by that bigoted lunatic Joseph McCarthy. It changes nothing in that John Garfield was a fine actor, one of the best of his generation. He was an actor who could modify his style of that from the theatre, so that he could be natural and convincing on screen. "Warner Bros" didn't really appreciate the value of such a talent and the films Garfield was forced to do, were not worthy of him at all. However, "Dust Be My Destiny" is a very watchable movie. Even though Garfield is playing the kind of character he was stuck with for a while, he is nevertheless very good. For years, he was always cast as those people who found themselves on the wrong side of the law, usually down to bad luck rather than being criminally inclined. In this film, Garfield is a man on the run with a young lady by his side. Her drunken stepfather is dead due to an accident and Garfield has been innocently implicated. He and his girlfriend take to the countryside, barely staying one step ahead of the authorities. They hop onto freight trains, hitchhike along the highway. It is a tense yarn where you don't know what is going to happen next and I found the experience exciting. Frank McHugh is totally wasted in a cameo appearance as a rather insistent wedding photographer but Alan Hale does well as a newspaper editor who takes the wanted youngsters under his wing. Two of the Dead End Kids make an appearance but they are written out quite early on. Very enjoyable.

dougdoepke The first 15-minutes is good gritty Depression era drama, as Joe (Garfield) and other footloose unemployed try to hitch a train ride to nowhere. Caught by county cops, they're sent to a harsh work camp where there's at least work, a bed, and something to eat, but nothing else. Garfield and company make this segment tough and realistic, a real taste of life at Depression's bottom.But then the romantic side takes over as Joe and Mabel (Lane) get into an off-and-on again relationship, complicated by Joe's accidental killing of Mabel's cruel stepfather. Thus the storyline swings over to the familiar young-lovers-on-the-run narrative. That might be okay, except Lane plays her part like she's swallowed a load of sweet-faced sugar, while making soft and nice is not Garfield's special appeal. There's also a ton of likable common folk that demonstrate America's fundamental decency; while, writer Rossen makes a timely populist appeal in the courtroom for the value of every person. Given the nastiness of the times, the idea, at least, was a good one. I just wish Warner's had assigned one of their top directors to the project. A Walsh or Curtiz might have blended the disparate elements more effectively than the workman-like Seiler. As things stand, it's a second-rate Garfield flick.

wes-connors After serving time for a crime he didn't commit, rowdy and rebellious John Garfield (as Joe Bell) is released from prison early. But, it wasn't for good behavior; the real burglar was caught in a hold-up. With no resources, Mr. Garfield hooks up with "Dead End" kid Billy Halop (as Hank Glenn) and his fifteen-year-old brother Bobby Jordan (as Jimmy). On the east coast, the three ride the rails as tramps, but get in trouble with the law; they receive brief sentences on the county work farm.Assigned to milk cows, Garfield meets pretty Priscilla Lane from "Four Daughters" (1938) in the barn. She is the step-child of drunken foreman Stanley Ridges (as Charlie Garreth). Due to a bad heart, Mr. Ridges kicks the bucket during a fight with Garfield, after the former finds the latter lounging by the hay with Ms. Lane. Naturally, the authorities mistakenly believe Garfield committed murder. He and Lane go on the run. Good Samaritans help the hungry couple, but the law closes in...This social consciousness drama is episodic to a fault, with some confusing transitions. The first occurs when Garfield is suddenly seen with two of the "Dead End Kids" from "They Made Me a Criminal" (1939). Obviously, the studio meant to evoke earlier films. Helpful Alan Hale (as Mike Leonard) and the Warner Bros. cast and crew go through the familiar motions. Everyone does their job well enough, but it just doesn't rise to the level of the studio's better work in the genre.***** Dust Be My Destiny (9/16/39) Lewis Seiler ~ John Garfield, Priscilla Lane, Alan Hale, Billy Halop

Arthur Hausner You can see why John Garfield rocketed to stardom just from watching this film: he has a tough but charismatic demeanor and is a natural born actor. He plays an embittered, cynical and distrustful youth, who is released from prison at the start, being told he was wrongly convicted when the real culprit was caught and confessed. He vows that he will never again trust authorities. He lands in a state work farm because of vagrancy and meets Priscilla Lane, the stepdaughter of the yard boss (Stanley Ridges) and they fall in love. But they are caught in an embrace by Ridges, who slaps Lane, incensing Garfield enough to hit Ridges, who dies of a heart attack due to his poor health caused by alcoholism. They flee and feel safe over the border but are almost penniless, so they take advantage of a promotion at a movie theater and get married on stage free of charge with lots of bonuses, despite it being a humiliating experience for both. Then they hear Ridges' death is considered a murder and they are wanted fugitives. Lane wants to turn themselves in, but Garfield will have none of that, and she sticks by him. Eluding police, they are given a job by kindly diner owner, Henry Armetta, who even helps them escape when Lane is caught and Garfield breaks her out of jail. This was an exciting nail-biting sequence. Garfield then lucks out when he is at the right place at the right time: he photographs details of a bank robbery in progress and gets a job as photographer with a newspaper. Because of these sensational photos and the fame it was sure to bring, Garfield was again threatened with being exposed as the wanted fugititve. This film is worth seeing for Garfield's performance, but Henry Armetta and Alan Hale are both excellent, and there's an enjoyable Max Steiner score. For those who are interested in credit abberations, Victor Kilian and Frank Jaquet are both in the onscreen cast credits but were edited out of the film. I've seen this happen occasionally for one performer in movies of the 1930's, but this is the only time I can remember it occurred for two.