Seldom-seen (but good), strongly cast prison/crime story based on yet another book by Warden Lewis E Lawes, seemingly the source material for half the prison films in Hollywood's history. Humphrey Bogart's Chuck Martin is clearly related to his Baby Face Martin in 'Dead End', as he's still snapping, snarling and doing the things Bogey did all the time before he became a movie hero. Newcomer William Holden strengthened the cast even more when Warners cast him as ex-con George Raft's kid brother, but Britain's Flora Robson is uneasily cast as their ma. In-joke: when Bogart and moll Lee Patrick are seen leaving a film, it's 'You Can't Get Away With Murder'. Not only is the title prophetic to this plot, but it starred Bogart and was based on yet another book by Lawes!

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