Marketic It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

SoftInloveRox Horrible, fascist and poorly acted

Manthast Absolutely amazing

Marva-nova Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

Sleeper-Cell I watched this film last night and although interesting in some respects it was also hard to get my head around. We watch men on death row talk about their stories and how they are scared about going to the electric chair. I guess if they hadn't killed anyone in the first place they wouldn't be there. Perhaps watching this in 2017 where we have very lax sentencing against violent criminals and victims are ignored, made it feel different to how it might have been to watching it when the film was made. The performances are good but a little over wrought, Mickey Rooney makes a good tough guy. By the end of the film you can see why these men, especially Rooney are where they are and their final bid for freedom is just pointless. I didn't have any sympathy for the prisoners at all and was on the side of the wardens the whole way through. An interesting film which can be viewed in a number of ways. If made today the moralizing might be a lot more heavy handed. One of the good things about this film is it doesn't push any agenda's. It leaves it open to interpretation.

michaelocion Although it's such a long time since I saw the film, I'm now planning to see it as soon as I can as it made such an impression on me, pretty much like that described in the review I've read on this site, which really confirmed my overall thoughts on the film and performance of Mickey Rooney in it. So now I can't wait to see it again, now that I have gotten the title again, and moreover by all accounts it really is as good as I first thought. That's why I have no trouble giving ten out of ten with my memories of it from years back, and in advance of my seeing it again as soon as I can. In addition to seeing the film again and finding out that it actually was as good as I had always considered it to be, I'll be happy to pass that good news on to others around in the course of discussions regarding good films and things to watch.

dougdoepke The movie may be a cheap-jack production, but it also has a number of graphic touches including Rooney's absolutely riveting performance. With its single set, ugly b&w photography, and no-name cast (except for Rooney), I can't imagine the film played more than a few remote drive-in's farthest from town. Nonetheless, the 80-minutes pushes the bounds of 50's movie-making in several notable ways.For example, catch how much emotional fear the doomed men—whether guards or cons— show when facing death. It's really unusual for that period to risk agitating audiences with realistic fears of death. But this one does. Also, the ricocheting bullets had me ducking under my chair— a really well done special effect. Actually, this cheapo comes closer to Sam Peckinpah's raw depiction of violence than about any film I've seen from that time—bullets actually raise blood, and despite their pleading people do get shot point blank. I'm guessing the producers got away with this because Hollywood didn't much care what a few necking teenagers might use for background.It's an ugly movie in more ways than one—not a single woman in sight!-- just a bunch of ugly guys. At the same time, the first half too often drags before picking up with the slam-bang second half. Then too, have you ever seen a more barren or squeakier clean cell block, likely a reflection of the story's stage origins. Anyway, it's Rooney at his most intense. And despite the movie's really brutal nature, there are more moments of genuine honesty than in most A-productions of the period. But it's not one you want to see if you're feeling down.

oxymoron-3 I have seen this movie many times. At least a Dozen. But unfortunatly not recently. However, Etched in my memory never to leave me is a scene in which Mickey Rooney, -"Killer Mears" knows that he is to be executed and it's getting close to the moment of truth, He dances, and cries, and laughs, he vacillates from hesteria to euphoria and runs the gambit of ever emotion. Never have I seen such a brilliant performance by any actor living or dead, past or present. It was then I know for sure that Mickey Rooney, yes, "Andy Hardy" was and is a actor of great genius. However I kept it, my opinion to myself for years thinking, surely I must be alone in this viewpoint. About 15 years or so after I saw this film for the last time on television, I chanced to read the old Q & A section of the Los Angeles Times. The question was posed to Lawrence Olivier, and the question was: "Mr. Olivier You are considered one of the greatest actors of all time, whom then do YOU consider to be among the greatest actors?" His answer was, "Peter Finch and Mickey Rooney" I was stunned, but not surprised. I immediatly flashed back to his "Killer Mears" And I felt very good for having seen this great ability in him, and now having my view supported by another whos work I admired.. Later of course there was "Bill" and many other great moments with Mikey Rooney. This film, "The Last Mile" should be seen by all acting students. I Frankly cannot remember a great deal about the film after all these years but Mr. Rooney in it, will never leave me. If anyone out there remembers this film the same as I do? I would be interested in hearing from you. For this picture etched in my heart alone I gave it a 10 just on the face of his performance.