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The Criminal Code

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6.1/10 • 30

1931-01-031h 37m

CrimeDrama

After young Robert Graham commits a murder while drunk and defending his girlfriend, he is prosecuted by ambitious Mark Brady and sentenced to 10 years. Six years later, Brady becomes the prison warden and offers the beleaguered Robert a job as his chauffeur. Robert cleans up his act, but, on the eve of his pardon, his cellmate drags him back into the world of violence, and he faces a difficult choice that could return him to prison.

Directors
Howard Hawks
Editors
Edward Curtiss

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Walter Huston

    Walter Huston

    Mark Brady

  2. Phillips Holmes

    Phillips Holmes

    Robert Graham

  3. Constance Cummings

    Constance Cummings

    Mary Brady

  4. Boris Karloff

    Boris Karloff

    Ned Galloway

  5. DeWitt Jennings

    DeWitt Jennings

    Yard Captain Gleason

  6. Mary Doran

    Mary Doran

    Gertrude Williams

  7. Ethel Wales

    Ethel Wales

    Katie Ryan

  8. Clark Marshall

    Clark Marshall

    Runch

  9. Arthur Hoyt

    Arthur Hoyt

    Leonard Nettleford

Reviews1

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CinemaSerf Avatar

CinemaSerf

Jun 13, 2022

6/10

Philips Holmes is really good in this Howard Hawks story of a twenty year old who accidentally kills a man in a silly brawl. The DA - "Mark Brady" (Walter Huston) realises quickly that he could have claimed self-defence for the young man, but the ensuing prosecution ends in conviction and a ten year stretch. Spool on six years and "Brady" is now the warden of the prison and seeing the damage internment has done to the young man, he gives him a job as his personal assistant. That relationship is seriously tested, however, when an inmate is murdered and both men must choose their best path to truth and redemption. This is rarely seen, nowadays, but is a well written and constructed prison story with the despair of the younger man writ large - you simply can't help but empathise with him. Huston and Boris Karloff ("Galloway") also find their feet with strong, sparing, dialogue that builds the tension without cluttering it up. It does take a little while to get going, but is well worth the effort.

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
--
Revenue
--
Keywords
wardenpre-code