Tockinit not horrible nor great

BroadcastChic Excellent, a Must See

Robert Joyner The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Kaelan Mccaffrey Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

JohnHowardReid This one is another in the series of Hollywood's campaign against a parole system in which parolees must get work but must also tell their prospective employers that they're on parole. In films – such as this one – their dilemma is usually solved by an act of God. Despite the use of coincidence to bring this about and despite the fact that the movie attempts to crowd so many plot turns into its 72 minutes of running time, there is scarcely a chance to draw breath (I'm not complaining), it's a humdinger of a "B" movie with some great performances all around, particularly from MacLane, Bond, Farrell and Hurst. Arthur Lubin's direction is never less than effective. See is you can spot Glenn Strange, Roy Barcroft and Walter Long in the super-extensive support cast. Available on a very good Alpha DVD.

evening1 This surprisingly powerful and compelling film starts weakly with a hackneyed tale of a curmudgeonly father opposing his daughter's choice of a mate.Glenda Farrell's Jean sees the hero behind the burly fisherman with a fascinating face, Barton MacLane, and waits for him through a maddeningly unfair series of arrests and punishments in prison. Shannon is the archetypal Everyman with integrity who just can't catch a break -- until the romantic final scene, when the good guy triumphs and finally gets the girl. The perfect ending is a bit anticlimactic but once in a while a happy conclusion manages to satisfy. A bravura production that I'll not soon forget.

spj-4 I found this movie well made considering the era it was made in, probably on a shoestring budget. It does a very good job of conveying the difficulties anyone with a criminal record or down on their luck, justly or otherwise has, in staying out of trouble.The lead character is portrayed with credibility & it is easy to understand the complex situations he becomes involved in, encouraging empathy from unbiased viewers observing his plight. In fact, he has a greater integrity surely, than a great many who always steer the favourable side of shady deals. And amongst it all, he finds himself up against other inmates, prison officers & prospective employers, to mention just a few. He is supported & consoled only by his sympathetic romantic interest. The settings & bureaucratic nightmare he finds himself in, in & outside of prison, are sadly all too applicable to the more modern world scenarios about us, as back in the era of this movie made in the aftermath of the tough realities of the Depression years.But this "Prison Break" succeeds in being entertaining as well as informative & insightful. It is well worth a view!

Tom Willett (yonhope) Hi, Everyone, When a sailor goes to prison he makes waves. Barton MacLane is quite good in this 1930s tough guy who wants to marry a blonde, psycho-action drama.The first thing we learn when our hero goes to the Big House is that prisoners in cells in the 1930s did not have toilets. There is a mixture here of stock footage of a real prison and a set on the sound stage that matches pretty well. In the 1930s it was somewhat taboo to show any plumbing fixtures other than the kitchen sink.Ward Bond is a very good bad guy here. He looks a lot like Lee Marvin in many scenes. Ward made 21 movies in 1938 including this one. He would make 21 more in 1939 including Gone With The Wind. I doubt if anyone appeared in more great movies than Ward Bond did in his 57 years of life. He also worked in It's a Wonderful Life. He also did Maltese Falcon. Even with all his movie roles he is still best remembered as the wagon master on Wagon Train, a former number one TV series.Barton Maclane made many wonderful movies including Unknown Island and Treasure of the Sierra Madre. He was the only guy in Treasure... who had a girlfriend.Prison Break could be remade with more expensive sets and effects, but the story here is easy to follow. If you have a little imagination you can enjoy this one. Great cast, good music, good story and interesting examination of the effect of a prison record on someone's life. It also shows us how honorable some people can be when they want to protect a friend.Tom Willett